Smugglers’ balloon carrying six boxes of Belarusian cigarettes lands in Kaunas

A balloon carrying six boxes of contraband cigarettes landed early Wednesday in Kaunas, Lithuanian police confirmed, marking the latest in a series of smuggling attempts from Belarus using airborne methods.

According to Ramūnas Matonis, a representative of Lithuania’s Police Department, the balloon touched down at 3:17 a.m. on L. Ivinskio Street in the city’s Šančiai district. The cargo consisted of 9,000 packs of smuggled Belarusian cigarettes, packed into six boxes.

The incident follows temporary airspace restrictions imposed over Vilnius Airport in the early hours of Wednesday due to the threat of smuggling balloons. Lithuania’s Airports (LTOU) reported that restrictions were activated at 2:16 a.m. after navigation markers typical of balloons were detected in areas hazardous to aviation. Operations resumed at 3:16 a.m. once the restrictions were lifted.

The disruptions affected two flights and caused inconvenience to approximately 128 passengers. One aircraft was diverted to Copenhagen Airport, while another flight was cancelled. Scattered delays are expected throughout Wednesday due to disrupted crew and aircraft rotations.

Lithuania has faced repeated incidents of smuggling balloons launched from Belarus, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency late last year over the “meteorological balloon crisis.” Vilnius Airport operations have been halted multiple times since October due to the threat, with Lithuania formally raising the issue with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The most recent major disruption occurred in early April, when up to 20 balloon-like navigation signals were recorded.