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Weather balloons transporting a large quantity of cigarettes have interfered with air travel in Lithuania, as Lithuania's primary air hub was forced to close for several hours when numerous of them entered the national airspace.

Aviation Problems

The airport closure led to the cancellation of 30 flights affecting 6,000 passengers, with authorities cautioning that additional delays could occur throughout Monday.

Law Enforcement Actions

Officials confirmed that twenty-five weather balloons were detected entering Lithuania from neighboring Belarus, with two balloons ending up right above the main terminal.

As many as 14 of the atmospheric instruments sent during the weekend passed through the capital region, which is home to Lithuania's capital city and near the Belarusian boundary.

Contraband Recovery

At least 11 balloons carrying 18,000 packs of black-market cigarettes have been collected so far, though this number could rise, according to law enforcement authorities.

International Illegal Trade

While creating issues, officials emphasized that "Weather devices carrying illegal goods - cigarettes from Belarus - are nothing new in Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland."

Since January, numerous meteorological balloons have been recorded entering Lithuania from Belarus, while nearly a thousand were documented the previous year.

Cross-Border Effects

Simultaneously, the north-eastern Polish territory, which similarly neighbors Belarus, has documented over numerous instances in which illegal goods were transported from its border nation utilizing the weather devices.

Illegal Transport Methods

In response to questions about why criminal organizations employ a method that is particularly vulnerable to weather elements rather than more controllable drones, officials clarified that "Weather devices are rudimentary tools used by contraband transporters - they are less expensive than drones for carrying smoking materials from Belarus."

Security Service Goals

Representatives further stated that "Our services' aim is to confiscate the maximum possible volumes of smuggled items and to arrest masterminds and involved individuals so that this activity become economically unsustainable and create minimal risk to commercial air travel."

International Concerns

These airspace violations occur during an era marked by growing anxiety in Europe following numerous drone incursions that have created aviation problems across the continent.

Parallel situations in nearby states have prompted European leaders to accelerate discussions about strengthening air defences throughout the continent.