{"id":182022,"date":"2026-04-02T13:06:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T10:06:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/182022\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T13:23:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T10:23:21","slug":"lithuania-suspects-dozens-of-facilitating-cigarette-smuggling-from-belarus","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/182022\/","title":{"rendered":"Lithuania suspects dozens of facilitating cigarette smuggling from Belarus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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April 2, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Lithuanian authorities launched more than 30 probes into cigarette smuggling from Belarus by weather balloons, with 90 people currently under investigation, Prosecutor General Nida Grunskien\u0117 told Delfi.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crimes are difficult to prove, but police are investigating, and the list of suspects continues to expand, the official said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the start of 2026, Lithuanian authorities have recorded 83 weather balloon smuggling cases, investigated around 20 of them and convicted more than 30 individuals, Grunskien\u0117 added. Last year, Lithuania reported more than 600 cases of cigarette smuggling by weather balloons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Balloons have been a source of tension between Lithuania and Belarus since the fall of 2025, prompting Vilnius to close the border for three weeks in November and suspend operations at Vilnius International Airport on several occasions. In early December Vilnius declared an \u201cextreme situation,\u201d a low-level emergency, in response to what it called \u201ca hybrid attack from Belarus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air smuggling incidents have become less frequent but have not stopped. The Vilnius International Airport keeps suspending operations when smugglers\u2019 balloons are spotted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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