Lithuanian police chief admits smugglers exploited officials as much as needed

Lithuania’s police commissioner general has acknowledged that smugglers took advantage of corrupt officials to the extent necessary for their operations, as an ongoing investigation into cross-border cigarette trafficking by balloon continues, LRT reports.

Speaking on the LRT Television program Dienos tema, Arūnas Paulauskas confirmed that 75 individuals have been detained so far in connection with the scheme, with 28 currently under arrest. Among them are 13 law enforcement officers—10 police officers and three border guards—primarily from the Šalčininkai region and Vilnius.

Paulauskas revealed that investigators have identified several criminal groups of varying sizes involved in the balloon smuggling network, most of which have already been dismantled. “The operation is still ongoing,” he stated. “We will likely see further arrests in the coming one or two months, though perhaps not on the same scale.”

When asked whether the smuggling rings—comprising both Lithuanian and Belarusian members—had motives beyond financial gain, such as undermining national security, Paulauskas noted that preliminary interrogations suggest profit was the primary driver. He described the relationship between Lithuanian and Belarusian smugglers as “collaborative” rather than hierarchical.

The commissioner general also confirmed that Lithuanian authorities have had no direct contact with Belarusian law enforcement regarding the cross-border balloon launches. While he did not rule out the possibility of additional officials being implicated as the investigation progresses, he declined to specify potential numbers.

Since the operation began, police have seized contraband cigarettes with an estimated street value of over €1 million. The smuggling method involved launching balloons carrying cigarette shipments from Belarusian territory into Lithuania, a tactic that Paulauskas stated would be impossible without coordination from Belarusian border guards.