{"id":208174,"date":"2026-10-20T13:49:52","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T10:49:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/208174\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T13:49:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T10:49:54","slug":"lithuania-downs-two-more-drones-carrying-belarusian-cigarettes","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/208174\/","title":{"rendered":"Lithuania downs two more drones carrying Belarusian cigarettes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Lithuanian State Border Guard Service)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

October 20, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>Two more drones carrying smuggled Belarusian-made cigarettes were intercepted at the end of last week in Lithuania\u2019s \u0160al\u010dininkai district, which borders on Belarus, the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service reported on Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the agency, in the early hours of October 16, border guards patrolling the border area near the village of Dumbul\u0117 \u201cheard the distinctive sound of a drone coming from Belarus.\u201d The noise disappeared after they used anti drone equipment. The following day, a severely damaged drone with a package attached to it was discovered around 290 meters from the Belarusian border. The package contained 100 packs of NZ Gold cigarettes bearing Belarusian excise stamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second drone reportedly crashed near the village of Biar\u017ei\u0161k\u0117s in the early hours of October 18 after border guards heard its noise and used anti-drone equipment. Attached to the device was a package containing 750 packs of Minsk 5 Superslims cigarettes featuring Belarusian excise stamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The total value of the two shipments is estimated at about \u20ac4,700.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuanian border guards have reportedly downed 67 drones carrying contraband cigarettes from Belarus this year. Lithuania said that it intercepted 59 such drones in 2025 and 54 in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tensions between Belarus and Lithuania over cigarette smuggling by air started rising last October, forcing Lithuanian authorities to close the border and suspend operations at Vilnius International Airport, located close to the Belarusian border, over incursion of smugglers\u2019 balloons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius declared an \u201cextreme situation,\u201d a low-level emergency, on December 9 in response to what it called \u201ca hybrid attack from Belarus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cigarettes cost the equivalent of about \u20ac1 per pack in Belarus and are significantly cheaper than legally sold cigarettes in Lithuania, where prices start at around \u20ac5. Smuggled NZ-brand cigarettes can be purchased in Vilnius for about \u20ac2 per pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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