The number of balloons with Belarusian contraband has increased sharply in Lithuania
The State Border Service of Lithuania (VSAT) records a significant increase in the use of balloons for smuggling from the territory of Belarus. About this informs Lithuanian broadcaster LRT.
In the first five months of 2025, border guards have already recorded more than 230 such cases — more than in the entire year of 2024. One of the recent incidents happened on May 15 in Vilnius: a balloon carrying 1,500 packs of contraband cigarettes fell on a city street.
VSAT representative Gedrus Mishutis said that the balls are launched from Belarusian territory, gain a high altitude and have GPS transmitters. They are almost invisible to radars, which makes their detection much more difficult. After landing, smugglers try to promptly take the cargo.
According to Mishutis, thanks to operational information, border guards manage not only to intercept bullets, but also to detain criminals. This year, more than 60 people were caught trying to pick up contraband.
In October 2024, the former Minister of the Interior of Lithuania, Agne Bilotaite, announced the introduction of legislative changes to the parliament that would allow border guards to shoot down balloons illegally entering the country’s airspace with contraband goods. Her statement came after a bullet with smuggled cigarettes fell on the territory of the Vilnius airport.
In December, Lithuanian border guards discovered an unmanned aerial vehicle in the Shviancheny district — it was also launched from the territory of Belarus. On January 8, the Lithuanian government officially allowed the border services to use special ammunition and projectiles to destroy meteorological balloons, drones and other unidentified flying objects.
