Lithuanian authorities uncover suspected balloon-smuggled cigarettes from Belarus

Lithuanian police have intercepted a car carrying 20,000 packs of contraband cigarettes believed to have been smuggled from Belarus using balloons, state broadcaster LRT reports.

Officers from Tauragė District Police stopped a Toyota Avensis Verso on the Kryžkalnis-Tauragė road around 11:10 AM on Thursday. The driver, a 1994-born man, had loaded the vehicle with large boxes, which upon inspection were found to contain 40 cartons of cigarettes bearing Belarusian tax stamps. The total estimated value of the undeclared goods exceeds €100,000.

Investigators suspect the shipment may have entered Lithuania via balloons—a method increasingly used for cross-border smuggling. The boxes were bundled in pairs, tightly wrapped in film, and prepared for balloon attachment, according to the police statement.

A pre-trial investigation has been launched for illegal handling of excise goods. The suspect faces fines or up to eight years in prison, while the vehicle used in the smuggling operation will be confiscated.