The Border Guard in Biała Podlaska is investigating a criminal case involving an organised crime group that smuggled cigarettes using weather balloons between May 2025 and April 2026. Among those detained is a 34-year-old Belarusian citizen, Mikhail S.
“Members of the group, using favourable weather conditions, smuggled cigarettes across the Belarusian-Polish border with the help of 160 meteorological balloons. After landing on Polish territory, the cigarettes were handed over to other members of the group for further distribution”, the regional prosecutor’s office in Lublin said.
The Belarusian has been charged with smuggling 240,000 packs of cigarettes with a total value of at least 4.4 million zlotys ($1.2 million). Prosecutors say smuggling was his main source of income. He is also accused of leading an organised criminal group, violating sanctions laws and breaching air traffic regulations.
The Belarusian partially admitted guilt. At the request of prosecutors, he has been placed in custody for three months.
