{"id":197924,"date":"2026-07-30T19:02:54","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T16:02:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/197924\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T19:02:56","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T16:02:56","slug":"lithuania-seizes-e82000-worth-of-belarusian-cigarettes-smuggled-by-air","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/197924\/","title":{"rendered":"Lithuania seizes \u20ac82,000 worth of Belarusian cigarettes smuggled by air"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

July 30, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Lithuanian border guards blocked two smuggling routes used to transport contraband Belarusian cigarettes, seizing 15,000 packs worth nearly \u20ac82,000, the State Border Guard Service said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bag containing 12,000 packs of NZ Gold and Minsk Superslims cigarettes with Belarusian excise stamps was found in a forest in the Alytus district on the night of July 27. The illegal cargo worth \u20ac65,500 was reportedly delivered from Belarus by balloons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Border guards set up an ambush and arrested three residents of Alytus who had arrived to pick up the shipment. One of the arrested had recently been deported from Ireland, they noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another smuggling attempt was reported on the night of July 29 in the \u0160al\u010dininkai district as Lithuanian border guards detected several drones that had crossed the border from Belarus. Three drones were downed with anti-drone equipment. They carried 3,000 packs of NZ Gold SuperSlims cigarettes with Belarusian excise stamps worth \u20ac16,380.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tensions between Belarus and Lithuania over cigarette-smuggling by air started rising last October, forcing Lithuanian authorities to close the border and suspend operations at Vilnius International Airport, located close to the Belarusian border, over incursion of smugglers\u2019 balloons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius declared an \u201cextreme situation,\u201d a low-level emergency, in late 2025 in response to what it called \u201ca hybrid attack from Belarus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuania has intercepted 38 cigarette-smuggling drones since the start of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cigarettes cost the equivalent of about \u20ac1 per pack in Belarus and are significantly cheaper than legally sold cigarettes in Lithuania, where prices start at around \u20ac5. Smuggled NZ-brand cigarettes can be purchased in Vilnius for about \u20ac2 per pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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