Lithuanian interior minister vows to dismiss officers arrested in cigarette smuggling probe

Lithuania’s interior minister has pledged to remove from service all law enforcement officers detained in connection with a large-scale cigarette smuggling investigation, state broadcaster LRT reports.

Vladislavas Kondratovičius announced on Friday that 13 police officers and border guards arrested as part of the probe “will be dismissed from service,” emphasising that “abuse of office in state institutions will not be tolerated.” His statement follows the detention of 27 individuals—including 10 police officers and three State Border Guard Service (VSAT) personnel—linked to a criminal network smuggling cigarettes via weather balloons.

Prosecutors allege eight of the detained officers work at the Šalčininkai District Police Commissariat, two at the Vilnius County Chief Police Commissariat, and three at the VSAT. All face suspicion of abusing their positions. The operation, spanning Vilnius, Šalčininkai, Varėna, and Druskininkai districts, also netted 17 other suspects, including a municipal employee and three individuals accused of aiding a foreign state’s actions against Lithuania.

Kondratovičius praised investigators for their efforts in dismantling “organised criminal groups causing significant harm to our country through dangerous smuggling methods.” Prosecutors estimate the seized assets in the pre-trial investigation total €4.2 million, with 49 suspects identified so far.

Prime Minister Ingrida Ruginienė called the arrests “painful news” but stressed they demonstrate the state’s proactive stance. “For months, we faced criticism over the balloon smuggling threat and allegations of inaction,” she said. “Today, it’s clear: the state did not stand by—it acted.”

Ruginienė acknowledged the operation’s complexity, noting that critical work often occurs “silently” due to operational security. She described the case as a “major turning point” in combating organised crime, confirming long-standing suspicions of internal collusion. The prime minister vowed further scrutiny into how such activity persisted undetected and why earlier warnings were overlooked.