Lithuanian authorities have uncovered what officials describe as one of the most sophisticated cigarette smuggling operations in the country’s recent history, arresting 21 individuals linked to a criminal network that allegedly used hot-air and helium-filled balloons to transport contraband cigarettes from neighboring Belarus. The operation, revealed in a statement by Lithuania’s Prosecutor’s Office, highlights not only the persistence of organized smuggling along the European Union’s eastern frontier but also the increasingly inventive methods criminal groups are deploying to evade law enforcement and border controls.

The arrests followed a sweeping, nationwide crackdown involving approximately 80 coordinated raids carried out by Lithuanian law enforcement agencies. During these operations, investigators seized large quantities of smuggled cigarettes, firearms, luxury vehicles, and sophisticated surveillance equipment. Authorities estimate the value of the confiscated assets at around 720,000 euros (approximately $844,000), though officials believe the overall financial scale of the criminal enterprise may be significantly higher.

According to prosecutors, the group operated as an organized network with clearly defined roles, logistical coordination, and cross-border connections. Investigators allege that the smugglers maintained direct contact with accomplices operating inside Belarus, from where balloons carrying cigarette shipments were launched under favorable weather conditions. Once airborne, the balloons would drift across the border into Lithuanian territory, where local collaborators retrieved the contraband before distributing it further into domestic and EU black markets.

While cigarette smuggling........

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