Lithuanian Border Guards Intercepted 45 Shipments Of Airlifted Belarusian Cigarettes

• 13.02.2026, 17:12

Starting in early 2026.

Since the beginning of 2026, Lithuanian border guards have intercepted 45 shipments of smuggled Belarusian cigarettes, ferried by balloons, worth about 540 thousand euros, the State Border Guard Service (SOGG) under the Interior Ministry of the Baltic state reported on February 13. 29 batches were intercepted in January, 16 - since the beginning of February.

The number of intercepted packs exceeded 121 thousand.

The SOGG notes that the volume of intercepted air smuggling has decreased compared to last year: in January 2025, 63 batches of cigarettes delivered from Belarus by balloons were in the warehouses of border guards, while in February - 45.

The last case was recorded on February 12, when, based on information from colleagues from criminal intelligence units, border guards of Kabeliai outpost in Varensk district intercepted a cargo delivered from Belarus by balloon. It contained 1,520 packs of NZ Gold and Queen Menthol cigarettes with Belarusian excise stamps. The smugglers' GPS tracker was attached to the cargo.

A pre-trial investigation into the illegal disposal of excisable goods is underway.

SOGG notes that its officers have detained 22 people allegedly involved in smuggling by air from Belarus since the beginning of the year. In 2025, border guards caught 171 people allegedly involved in this method of cigarette delivery.