Hot air balloons smuggling cigarettes shut down Lithuanian airport
NBC Newsยท2025-10-07 01:36
Smuggling Activity - Lithuanian border officials report Belarusian smugglers using hot air balloons to smuggle contraband into Lithuania [1][2] - Over the weekend, 18,000 packs of cigarettes were confiscated [2] - Lithuanian authorities have intercepted over 500 balloons sent by smugglers this year [3] - Nearly 800,000 packs of cigarettes have been transported via balloons and drones [3] Airport Disruption - A major airport in Lithuania's capital was shut down for about 8 hours due to balloons entering its airspace [2] - 30 flights were interfered with, impacting travel plans for over 6,000 passengers [3]