Two men detained in Lithuania after a balloon carrying 3000 packs of cigarettes from Belarus landed

In Lithuania's Vilnius District, border guards found a balloon carrying 3000 packs of Belarusian cigarettes. The cargo, taxes included, is worth 16530 euros.

The balloon landed in a field near the village of Laukininkai, less than two kilometres from the border with Belarus. Nearby, border guards found a Volkswagen Passat in which two men, aged 37 and 20, had presumably arrived to collect the contraband. The car contained a night vision device, two knives and a cutter. Both men have been detained.

Smuggling balloons from Belarusian territory have appeared in Lithuanian skies before. In June 2024, a huge balloon with a cargo, most likely cigarettes, was spotted at the Šalčininkai checkpoint. In April 2026, smugglers' balloons launched from Belarusian territory entered Lithuanian airspace.