Lithuania Sees Rise in Counterfeit Tobacco Smuggling From Latvia as Balloon Cargoes Fall
Donatas Škarnulis, acting head of Lithuania's State Border Guard Service, said counterfeit tobacco products from Latvia now make up a larger share of smuggling than those from Belarus. Meanwhile, the number of cargoes sent by weather balloons has dropped sharply this year.
Smuggling of counterfeit tobacco products from Latvia into Lithuania is increasing, following Lithuanian efforts to curb cigarette smuggling by weather balloons from Belarus. The statement was made on Monday by Donatas Škarnulis, acting head of Lithuania's State Border Guard Service, in comments to the public broadcaster LRT.
He explained that Belarus's share of tobacco smuggling is shrinking. Looking at a period of several years, most counterfeit tobacco products now come from Latvia rather than from Belarus.
Anti-balloon measures show results
Škarnulis stressed that action against smuggling balloons has been effective. Last year about 200 people were held accountable in cases linked solely to air balloons, and dozens of such cases are already open this year. According to him, the number of cargoes carried by balloons this year is three times lower than last year, while the volume of tobacco products brought in this way is roughly half as large.
The official credited preventive measures by border guards, police and customs officers, as well as criminal intelligence work and pre-trial investigations by the border guard and police.
Figures on intercepted cargoes
Data published by the border guard last week show that this year 182 cigarette smuggling cargoes sent from Belarus by weather balloons have been intercepted. Last year 635 such cargoes were intercepted, and in 2024 the figure was 226. This year border guards have also shot down 67 smuggling drones carrying illegal tobacco from Belarus; 59 such drones were intercepted last year and 54 in 2024.
Lithuania's response
Lithuania is using a range of measures against smuggling. A nationwide state of emergency has been declared, and law enforcement operations are under way, which have among other things uncovered suspicions that border guards and police officers were involved in smuggling. Lithuanian leaders regard the airspace violations caused by smuggling balloons as a hybrid attack by the Minsk regime.
