Lithuanian smuggling ring tied to Belarus, officials say

Lithuanian authorities said Tuesday they had arrested 21 people allegedly connected to a criminal network that smuggled cigarettes using specially equipped weather balloons from Russia-allied Belarus that violated the Baltic country’s airspace in recent weeks.

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Lithuanian State Border Guard Service

A LITHUANIAN officer inspects a balloon used by smugglers to carry cigarettes.

Investigators conducted more than 80 searches, seizing cigarettes with Belarusian excise stamps, SIM cards, communication and tracking signal jammers, and firearms, among other things, the Lithuanian general prosecutor's office said in a statement. Luxury cars and valuable property were also confiscated.

Lithuania earlier this month declared a national emergency over security risks posed by the meteorological balloons sent from Belarus.