On Wednesday at about 4 a.m., a meteorological balloon with an attached package landed in Boćki, Podlaskie, and within half an hour a second burst occurred near Białystok.
Earlier Incident in Boćki
At approximately 4 a.m. on Wednesday, a meteorological balloon carrying a package landed in the village of Olszew, Boćki municipality, Podlaskie. Police are now investigating what the package contains. Just thirty minutes after the first balloon’s landing, a second balloon burst on the outskirts of Białystok, near the Zawady district on Lodowa Street.
Series of Similar Events
On Saturday, 4 October, a comparable balloon was found near the village of Ożynnik close to Białystok. Police reported that the balloon had carried 1,750 packages of cigarettes lacking Polish excise markings. Similar balloons had also been spotted a few weeks earlier in Jałówka, Sokole, and Straszewo.
Tobacco Smuggling via Balloons
The Border Guard informed on 29 September that during the weekend of 27–28 September, Polish authorities uncovered packages containing illegal cigarettes imported from Belarus, totaling nearly 185,000 PLN in value, transported by meteorological balloons. Investigations are ongoing to identify others involved in the dispatch and receipt of these illicit shipments.
Border Guard Findings
In early 2024, the Podlaskie Border Guard reported over 100 incidents involving illicit excise goods smuggled with meteorological balloons. Seized tobacco products are estimated to be worth more than 2.5 million PLN.
