{"id":198322,"date":"2026-08-03T13:02:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T10:02:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/198322\/"},"modified":"2026-08-03T13:02:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T10:02:04","slug":"lithuania-downs-four-drones-with-smuggled-belarusian-cigarettes","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/198322\/","title":{"rendered":"Lithuania downs four drones with smuggled Belarusian cigarettes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

August 3, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>Lithuania\u2019s State Border Guard Service intercepted four drones carrying 4,000 packs of Belarusian cigarettes in the Lazdijai district near the shared border with Belarus on July 30, the agency said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The downed drones transported NZ Gold and NZ Black cigarettes with Belarusian excise stamps worth about \u20ac21,840.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuania has intercepted 42 cigarette-smuggling drones since the start of 2026, 59 in 2025 and 54 in 2024.<\/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, on December 9 in response to what it called \u201ca hybrid attack from Belarus.\u201d<\/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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