Lithuania’s commission vetting risks to national security allowed a German company, Gebr. Heinemann, to operate duty-free shops at Kaunas and Vilnius despite the company’s work in Belarus and Russia.
Gebr. Heinemann owns the Lithuanian company Travel Retail Vilnius, which won a tender two years ago to operate duty-free shops at Vilnius and Kaunas airports. The contract was awarded even though, according to Russian customs data, Gebr. Heinemann exported luxury goods worth €9.5m to Russia in 2024 and €35m in 2023.
Documents obtained by LRT and Laisvės TV show that just over a month ago, the company transported luxury goods through Lithuania to a warehouse at Minsk Airport.
When contacted by journalists, Gebr. Heinemann confirmed it operates in Belarus but declined to comment further on its activities under the Lukashenko regime.
“In Belarus, Gebr. Heinemann is active solely as a distributor. We supply major international brands in accordance with their brand distribution policy and our Distribution Agreements. The turnover in Belarus in 2024 is comparable to other B2B markets in the region, like Georgia.
In all countries in which we operate, we act within the framework of local legislation while ensuring full compliance with international law and all applicable sanctions,” the company said.
In December 2024, Lithuanian Airports referred the company’s activities to a government commission responsible for safeguarding national security, requesting an additional review of Travel Retail Vilnius, which represents the Heinemann Duty Free brand.
This followed an LRT investigation presenting evidence that Gebr. Heinemann continued trading in Russia and had links to Russian oligarchs. Although the company had operated in Lithuania for nearly 20 years, this was the first time it was formally assessed for national security risks.
On March 7, 2025, the commission ruled that the lease agreements allowing Travel Retail Vilnius to operate at Vilnius and Kaunas airports could continue.
After receiving new information about the company’s activities in Belarus, journalists again contacted Lithuanian Airports, asking whether Travel Retail Vilnius had disclosed that its shareholder was trading with companies linked to the Lukashenko regime during the current border crisis.
“The supplier in question is obliged to ensure uninterrupted operations at Lithuanian airports. We remain in continuous contact with the supplier,” an airport representative said.
It has since emerged that the government commission reviewed Gebr. Heinemann again this year.
Lithuanian Airports confirmed that they received on March 20 another response from the commission, which remained unchanged. The reasons for the renewed review were not disclosed, citing confidentiality.
Clients linked to the regime
Customs documents obtained by LRT and Laisvės TV show that Gebr. Heinemann supplies luxury goods in Belarus to a company called Helena Valery.
Although the German firm presents itself as merely a distributor in Belarus, it appears to play a significant role for regime-linked businesses.
The network is run by two companies – Helena Valery and Dipmarket. The latter is effectively a state-linked enterprise controlled by the Lukashenko regime.
Earlier this year, the LRT Investigation Team reported that Dipmarket belongs to “Dipservice”, which is managed by the Administrative Directorate of the President of Belarus – often described as part of the regime’s shadow economic empire.
All three current heads of this directorate – Yury Nazarov, Nikolai Shkred and Anton Kraevsky – have been under EU sanctions since March last year.
A former head, Viktor Sheiman, is widely considered one of Lukashenko’s closest allies and is suspected of orchestrating the persecution and killings of political opponents.
Duty-free stores in Belarus are also operated jointly with the Lithuanian company Mello Trading, whose Belamarket Duty Free brand is another partner of Gebr. Heinemann.
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