Border guards in Šalčininkai district seize smuggler drone carrying cigarettes

Border guards from the Purvėnai checkpoint in Lithuania’s Šalčininkai district intercepted and downed a drone carrying contraband cigarettes, the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) reported on Thursday.

The unmanned aircraft was transporting 1,000 packs of Belarusian-branded “Queen Menthol” cigarettes. The estimated value of the smuggled goods, including applicable taxes in Lithuania, is €5,460.

Using video surveillance, officers detected the drone near Prūdelis village late on Wednesday night, flying from the Belarusian border into Lithuanian territory. After deploying drone-jamming equipment, they forced the aircraft to descend and located it about 500 meters from the border. The drone was found with two standard boxes of cigarettes attached.

This is the 31st drone intercepted by VSAT this year while securing the border with Belarus. In 2025, authorities seized 59 drones, and in 2024, 54 drones carrying Belarusian cigarettes were captured. An administrative investigation has been launched at the Purvėnai checkpoint regarding the illegal acquisition and transport of excise goods.