Smuggling balloon carrying cigarettes lands in Kaunas

A balloon carrying six boxes of smuggled cigarettes landed in the Šančiai district of Kaunas early Wednesday, with a local resident alerting authorities to prevent the cargo from being taken, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) reports.

A Kaunas resident, identified only as Henrikas, told LRT he spotted the balloon while driving and called emergency services at 3:17 AM. “I turned around and drove back toward them. One hit an electricity transmission pole and exploded. I stopped near them, called 112, and waited for the police so no one could take the cargo,” he said.

Police confirmed the discovery of 9,000 packs of smuggled cigarettes in the boxes, found on Lauryno Ivinskio Street. The case has been referred to the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) for further investigation.

According to the Police Department, 134 smuggling balloons carrying over 376,000 packs of cigarettes from Belarus have been intercepted since November 24, 2025, as part of joint operations with VSAT, Customs Criminal Service, and Military Police. Authorities have detained 72 individuals and launched 19 pre-trial investigations in connection with the smuggling attempts.

Interior Minister Vladislavas Kondratovičius stated that active measures against balloon smuggling have reduced such incidents by nearly half compared to last year. “The scale has decreased significantly—at least twofold. The operations we are conducting are clearly effective,” he told journalists.

Giedrius Mišutis, a VSAT representative, noted a decline in balloon activity this year, with only four intercepted in May and seven in April, compared to 46 in April 2025. February and March also saw significant drops in numbers.

Separately, Vilnius Airport imposed temporary airspace restrictions overnight due to the balloon threat, affecting two flights and around 128 passengers. One aircraft was diverted as a precaution.