Фото: полиция Литвы
Lithuanian police on Wednesday carried out an operation targeting smugglers who use weather balloons to transport cigarettes from Belarus. A total of 16 searches were conducted at residential and commercial premises. Five people were detained.
They are suspected of involvement in a criminal organization operating in the Alytus, Druskininkai, Varėna and Lazdijai districts.
Those detained reportedly include the suspected leaders and founders of the organization.
“There are suspicions that the leaders of the criminal organization maintained direct contact with accomplices operating in the Republic of Belarus, who, when weather conditions were favourable, organized the centralized and mass launch of balloons carrying contraband into Lithuania,” the statement said.
The suspects’ property, including luxury cars, has been seized.
Wednesday’s arrests were part of an ongoing investigation conducted by the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau. In May this year, 27 people were detained in a large-scale operation as part of the same case.