Lithuanian authorities carried out a large, coordinated operation Monday targeting criminal groups that allegedly fly contraband into the country from Belarus using weather balloons, the Interior Ministry said.
More than 100 officers from the State Border Guard Service (VSAT), police, customs and the Financial Crime Investigation Service took part in the effort, conducting over 30 searches across Vilnius and Druskininkai municipalities and in the Varėna and Šalčininkai districts.
VSAT spokesman Giedrius Mišutis told BNS that four people had been detained as of Monday, adding that the number is expected to grow as the investigation expands.
Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovič said the results underscore the value of enhanced criminal intelligence and closer cooperation among agencies.
“This is a clear message to smuggling organisers and their accomplices. Our strategic goal is not only to make this type of criminal activity unprofitable but also to deter would-be offenders,” he said in a statement.
During the searches, officers seized dozens of GPS trackers and communication devices believed to be used for airborne smuggling operations, along with mobile phones. They also uncovered firearms, ammunition, narcotics, contraband cigarettes, vehicles used for criminal activity and other evidence.
Lithuania has faced a rising threat from smuggling networks that use weather balloons to float illegal goods, primarily cigarettes, across the border from Belarus. Officials have warned that the balloons also pose risks to civil aviation.
To counter the tactic, the interior minister recently established a joint investigative team that includes VSAT, police, customs officers and financial crime investigators. Monday’s operation was among the coordinated actions carried out by the group.
Authorities have already identified more than 100 individuals suspected of involvement in airborne cigarette smuggling, according to the ministry.
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