{"id":80635,"date":"2024-04-18T14:14:11","date_gmt":"2024-04-18T11:14:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/80635\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"lithuanian-customs-car-with-smuggled-cigarettes-caused-fire-at-medininkai-crossing","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/80635\/","title":{"rendered":"Lithuanian customs: car with smuggled cigarettes caused fire at Medininkai crossing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (pixabay)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

April 18, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> The Porsche Cayenne, which caught fire in a customs hangar at the Medininkai border crossing at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border early on April 18, transported smuggled cigarettes, Delfi <\/em>reported, citing customs official Irmina Frolova-Mila\u0161ien\u0117.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Customs officers reportedly discovered a stash of cigarettes during a regular inspection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Lithuanian customs officer was poisoned by carbon monoxide during the fire, which started at around 3 am.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The car and the inspection hangar burned down, while the fire also damaged an administrative building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuania resumed processing Belarus-bound vehicles, yet the Lithuania-bound traffic remains suspended, the Belarusian State Border Committee said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In August 2023, Lithuania closed its \u0160umskas and Tvere\u010dius checkpoints, and in March 2024, Lavori\u0161k\u0117s and Raigardas, leaving only Medininkai and \u0160al\u010dininkai to handle the cross-border traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius cited national security, smuggling and international sanctions as the reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius may be considering closing \u0160al\u010dininkai in mid-May, recent reports said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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