Lithuania’s Vilnius airport was forced to shut down for hours after smugglers sent dozens of balloons carrying cigarettes in the country from Belarus.
The Guardian reports that the airport was shut down between 1 p.m. on October 21 to 6:30 a.m. October 22, as officials suspended flights to “ensure the safety of civil aviation.” Traffic was also halted at two land border crossings between Belarus and Lithuania during that same period.
Smugglers have been known to purchase cheap cigarettes in Belarus and then send them into the European Union, where tobacco products cost substantially more. According to data published by Lithuania’s government, 966 balloons carrying contraband entered the country last year, as well as 500 so far in 2025. Poland has reported more than 100 similar incidents this year as well.
Following the October 21 incursion, Lithuania’s Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene called on leaders in Belarus to come up with “a responsible approach to these incidents, irrespective of our political relations.” Ruginiene also voiced concerns over having to intercept balloons to keep them away from strategic sites and installations.
