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Weather balloons transporting thousands of packs of cigarettes have caused flight disruptions in Lithuania, as Lithuania's primary air hub was required to halt operations for hours when multiple of them floated into the airspace of Lithuania.

Flight Disruptions

The temporary shutdown led to thirty canceled flights disrupting thousands of passengers, with officials warning that further disruptions were possible throughout Monday.

National Security Measures

Authorities reported that twenty-five weather balloons were detected entering Lithuania from the adjacent country of Belarus, with a pair of them ending up precisely above the airport's airspace.

Up to 14 of the meteorological devices launched over the weekend drifted across the metropolitan zone, which is the location of Lithuania's main urban center and adjacent to the frontier with Belarus.

Illegal Goods Seizure

At least 11 balloons carrying eighteen thousand packages of illegal tobacco products have been collected so far, though this number could rise, according to law enforcement authorities.

Cross-Border Contraband Trend

While creating issues, officials emphasized that "Balloons with contraband - cigarettes from Belarus - are common occurrences in Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland."

To date in the current year, over five hundred weather devices have been recorded entering Lithuania from Belarus, while approximately 966 had been documented the previous year.

Cross-Border Effects

At the same time, the border area of Poland, which similarly neighbors Belarus, has recorded more than one hundred incidents in which contraband was flown from its neighbor using the balloons.

Smuggling Techniques

When questioned about why criminal organizations employ a method that is especially affected by weather factors rather than more controllable drones, authorities explained that "Weather devices are basic instruments used by illegal traders - they are cheaper than drones for transporting cigarettes from Belarus."

Law Enforcement Objectives

Officials added that "The goal of law enforcement is to confiscate the maximum possible volumes of smuggled items and to arrest masterminds and perpetrators so that such operations become not financially viable and present no risk to commercial air travel."

International Concerns

The recent incidents occur during a period of heightened tension in Europe following various aerial device infiltrations that have caused air traffic disruption across European nations.

Recent incidents in nearby states have caused EU officials to fast-track conversations about improving airspace protection throughout European airspace.