Lithuania was forced to suspend air traffic at Vilnius Airport last night after dozens of balloons used by smugglers entered its airspace from Belarus.
It marked the second time in a month that the country’s largest airport was shut down due to a similar incident.
On 5 October, helium balloons carrying contraband cigarettes also led to flight cancellations and delays.
“Operations have been disrupted due to weather balloons used to smuggle cigarettes from Belarus,” the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) said in a statement.
As of early Wednesday morning, nearly 30 flights had been affected “due to operational restrictions”.
“Preliminary information suggests the decision to impose airspace restrictions was made after meteorological balloons were detected flying toward Vilnius,” it said.
Although the airport has since reopened, several flights have suffered cancellations and delays – with affected passengers advised to contact their airlines for further information.
European air travel has faced repeated disruptions in recent weeks due to drone sightings and unauthorised airspace breaches – hitting airports in Copenhagen, Munich and across the Baltic region.
Contraband cigarettes intercepted by Lithuania. Pic: NCMC
The latest incident also comes amid heightened alert across Europe following several breaches of NATO airspace by drones and aircraft in September.
Lithuania’s NCMC reported earlier this month that 487 shipments of cigarettes sent from Belarus using balloons have already been intercepted this year.
Border guards have also detained 87 people suspected of involvement in airborne smuggling operations – nearly double the 46 arrested last year.
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Drones have also been used by smugglers to carry contraband cigarettes. Pic: NCMC
In addition to the balloons, 45 drones carrying illegal cigarettes from Belarus have been seized this year.
Altogether, more than 771,000 packs of cigarettes have been smuggled across the border using drones and balloons
The trend is not limited to Lithuania. Polish and Latvian border guards have also recently intercepted balloons carrying cigarettes launched from Belarus.
Authorities say several factors are driving the shift to “remote” smuggling methods such as balloons.
The construction of a physical barrier – including fencing and concertina wire – along the Belarusian border has made traditional smuggling routes more difficult to use.
In addition, the State Security Service has installed a surveillance system along the entire border with Belarus, allowing border guards to respond more quickly and increasing the likelihood of intercepting smugglers.
There is a “significant price difference” in the price of cigarettes between Lithuania and Belarus, the NCMC said.
The country continues to serve as a key transit route for the illegal movement of tobacco products into other European Union nations, it added.
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