Airport Shuttered by Cigarette-Smuggling Balloons

Flights were brought to a halt at Lithuania's busiest airport over the weekend after dozens of balloons loaded with black-market cigarettes drifted in from Belarus. Lithuanian officials said 25 balloons—normally used for meteorological purposes—were detected Sunday, with two ending up above Vilnius Airport, prompting the cancellation of 30 flights and affecting around 6,000 travelers, per the BBC. Most incoming flights were redirected, with one making a U-turn to return to Copenhagen, reports Reuters. Some delays may persist into Monday, airport authorities warned. Lithuania's State Border Guard has so far recovered 11 balloons carrying 18,000 packs of contraband smokes.

According to the National Crisis Management Centre, using balloons to ferry black-market cigarettes isn't new—in fact, 544 have entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus just this year, following nearly 1,000 in 2024. Poland's Podlaskie region bordering Belarus is facing a similar problem, with over 100 reported balloon-smuggling attempts. Authorities say smugglers opt for balloons over drones mainly because they're cheaper, though they're far less reliable, given their susceptibility to the whims of the weather. An NCMC spokesperson notes the goal is to intercept as much illicit cargo as possible and make the trade unprofitable.