{"id":208533,"date":"2026-10-22T15:09:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T12:09:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/208533\/"},"modified":"2026-10-22T15:09:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T12:09:20","slug":"poland-arrests-belarusian-for-alleged-cigarette-smuggling-using-balloons","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/208533\/","title":{"rendered":"Poland arrests Belarusian for alleged cigarette smuggling using balloons"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

October 22, <\/strong>Pozirk.<\/strong><\/em> Five people, including one national of Belarus, have been arrested in recent days by officers of Poland\u2019s Podlasie Border Control Unit on suspicion of smuggling cigarettes from Belarus using weather balloons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Polish Border Guard reported on October 21 that illicit cigarettes worth more than 820,000 zlotys (about $211,000) had been seized as a result of investigative activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian was apprehended by officers of a border checkpoint in Ku\u017anica, and a citizen of Poland was arrested by officers of the Nowy Dw\u00f3r checkpoint while they were receiving illegal parcels, the agency said. Both men were taken into custody for three months and face at least three years in prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three Poles were arrested by officers of the Bobrowniki border checkpoint while they were seeking to collect a cigarette shipment. They were charged with financial crimes as well as under Poland\u2019s law on special measures to counter support for Russia\u2019s aggression against Ukraine and protect national security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Separately, police in Bia\u0142ystok reportedly arrested three more people suspected of cigarette smuggling from Belarus with the help of weather balloons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the start of 2026, officers of the Podlasie Border Control Unit have arrested a total of 47 people this year on suspicion of such smuggling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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