Hundreds of Belarusian balloons carrying thousands of cigarette packs block Lithuania’s Vilnius airport for hours, with one landing in Poland.
Balloon Sightings in Vilnius
Lithuanian police discovered 25 balloons in total, with 13–14 found near Vilnius and two directly over the airport. The Lithuanian Border Guard reported finding seven balloons on the Belarusian border, each carrying roughly 12,000 cigarette packs.
Balloon Falls in Poland
A farmer in the Podlaskie region of Poland intercepted a balloon that fell near Ożynnik. It carried 1,750 packs of cigarettes.
Airport Disruption and Flight Cancellations
The Vilnius airport was shut for several hours, affecting about 30 flights. Several planes slated to land were diverted to Kaunas, Riga, and Gdańsk, while many other flights were cancelled.
Authorities Search for Remaining Objects
Security services are still looking for any remaining balloons and are trying to determine who was supposed to receive the cargo.
Legacy of Smuggling Incidents
Since the start of the year, Lithuania has recorded around 500 similar balloon incidents. In the first half alone, customs confiscated more than 805,000 cigarette packs smuggled via balloons, leading to the detention of 96 individuals.
