Lithuania Shuts Belarus Border Crossings Over Smuggling Balloons

Lithuanian authorities have decided to close the Medininkai and Šalčininkai checkpoints on the border with Belarus in response to another flow of smuggling balloons flying from the territory of Belarus. The Lithuanian State Border Guard Service reported this. The checkpoints were closed on the evening of October 26, and there is currently no information on the timing of their reopening.

This drastic step was taken after Vilnius International Airport was forced to temporarily suspend its operations due to the appearance of numerous balloons in the sky. This is the fourth such incident in a week, which is seriously disrupting the country's air traffic and creating security threats. The decision to close the border checkpoints was made just half an hour after the airport's operations were suspended.

The head of the National Crisis Management Center, Vilmantas Vitkauskas, told Delfi that an unprecedented number of balloons had been recorded this time. According to him, radar systems detected 66 images of balloons, which is several times higher than the figures for previous days. These balloons, often called "weather probes," are used to smuggle cigarettes and other goods from Belarus to Lithuania.

Lithuanian law enforcement agencies are taking active steps to combat this illegal activity. On the morning of October 27, the police announced that they had arrested one of the alleged recipients of the cargo attached to the balloons. This arrest could be an important breakthrough in the investigation of this unique smuggling network.

The current situation has caused serious concern in the Lithuanian government. It shows not only the difficulties of combating smuggling but also the security gaps on the border with Belarus. The authorities are discussing further steps to prevent the recurrence of such incidents and to ensure the security of both the land border and the airspace.