Six suspects fined for cigarette smuggling from Russia via balloons into Lithuania, valued near €30,000.

Six individuals accused of smuggling cigarettes from Russia via balloons into the Kaunas region of Lithuania until November 20, 2025, have been requested by the Kaunas District Prosecutor's Office to be fined. The smuggled cigarettes bore Belarusian tax stamps and had an estimated value including taxes of nearly 30,000 euros. All suspects admitted their guilt completely. The prosecutor has requested a court to recognize the six as guilty of smuggling and illegal handling of excisable goods, proposing fines reduced by one third ranging from 10,000 to 25,000 euros. Additionally, seizure of two cars, mobile phones, thermal imagers, flashlights, masks, and other items adapted for such crimes was requested. The investigation was led by the Kaunas District Prosecutor's Office and carried out by the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service, Pagėgiai Border Unit, Pre-Trial Investigation Department. The case has been forwarded to the Tauragė District Court, Tauragė branch.