Polish authorities detained five men connected to an organized smuggling ring that used weather balloons to transport cigarettes from Belarus into Poland. The operation caused significant tax revenue losses and disrupted Polish air traffic, triggering temporary restrictions in the Podlaskie region. The suspects include Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Polish nationals and face various charges, including supporting aggression against Ukraine. Investigators found the group smuggled at least 48,000 cigarette packets worth around €237,000 between September 2025 and February 2026. The Polish treasury lost nearly €474,000 in unpaid excise taxes. The method involved GPS-equipped weather balloons releasing cigarette parcels over Polish territory, enabling smugglers to locate and retrieve the contraband. Polish Border Guard searches near Siedlce uncovered contraband and GPS equipment. Similar incidents have increased since early 2025, with multiple detections of balloons crossing into Polish airspace from Belarus. Neighboring Lithuania and Latvia face comparable smuggling issues involving weather balloons from Belarus. Poland has summoned Belarusian diplomats to protest these violations of sovereignty.

Polish authorities detained five men connected to an organized smuggling ring that used weather balloons to transport cigarettes from Belarus into Poland. The operation caused significant tax revenue losses and disrupted Polish air traffic, triggering temporary restrictions in the Podlaskie region. The suspects include Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Polish nationals and face various charges, including supporting aggression against Ukraine. Investigators found the group smuggled at least 48,000 cigarette packets worth around €237,000 between September 2025 and February 2026. The Polish treasury lost nearly €474,000 in unpaid excise taxes. The method involved GPS-equipped weather balloons releasing cigarette parcels over Polish territory, enabling smugglers to locate and retrieve the contraband. Polish Border Guard searches near Siedlce uncovered contraband and GPS equipment. Similar incidents have increased since early 2025, with multiple detections of balloons crossing into Polish airspace from Belarus. Neighboring Lithuania and Latvia face comparable smuggling issues involving weather balloons from Belarus. Poland has summoned Belarusian diplomats to protest these violations of sovereignty.