Lithuanian authorities on Tuesday arrested 21 people suspected of running a criminal network that smuggled cigarettes using specially equipped weather balloons, the General Prosecutor’s Office said.
Among those detained were the alleged leaders and other members of the criminal group. The operation involved more than 140 officers from the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau (LKPB), the Aras special police unit, and Vilnius police.
Investigators conducted more than 80 searches, seizing items such as cigarettes with Belarusian excise stamps, SIM cards, communication and tracking signal jammers, firearms, and other equipment used in criminal activities. Luxury vehicles and other property valued at approximately €720,000 were also confiscated.
Authorities said the network operated with strict secrecy and defined roles. The cigarette smuggling was systematic and coordinated, with organisers closely controlling both the operation and their trusted associates.
Investigators allege that organisers maintained direct contact with accomplices in Belarus, from where balloons carrying contraband were released under favourable weather conditions.
Using GPS equipment and specialised applications, balloon movements were tracked and exact landing coordinates in Lithuania were relayed to operatives, who collected the contraband and delivered it to prearranged locations or other participants.
Suspects reportedly communicated via end-to-end encrypted apps, and messages were automatically deleted according to predetermined protocols.
All 21 detainees face charges of participating in a criminal organisation, illegal handling and smuggling of excise goods, and aiding another state in acting against Lithuania.
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