Фото: vilnius.policija.lrv.lt
Lithuanian police have dismantled an organised scheme for smuggling cigarettes bearing Belarusian excise stamps in the Šalčininkai District. The cigarettes were transported across the border using weather balloons.
On May 19, officers discovered two vehicles prepared in advance to transport the illicit cargo and 24 boxes of contraband cigarettes in a forest near the village of Naujasodis. Two suspects were detained at the scene. A third initially fled but later surrendered to police after realising that his identity had been established.
During searches, investigators seized 24 boxes containing 12,000 packs of NZ cigarettes with an estimated value of about €65,000, including Lithuanian taxes. GPS devices, signal-jamming equipment, binoculars, a night-vision device, computers, mobile phones and cash were also confiscated.
A court ordered all three suspects to be held in custody for three months. They face up to eight years in prison. The investigation is being conducted by the Vilnius District Prosecutor’s Office, the Vilnius County Police Headquarters said.