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Weather balloons transporting thousands of packs of cigarettes have interfered with air travel in Lithuania, as Lithuania's primary air hub was forced to close for an extended period when dozens of them drifted across the country's airspace.

Flight Disruptions

The airport closure led to the cancellation of 30 flights impacting 6,000 passengers, with officials warning that delays might continue throughout Monday.

Border Security Response

Border security stated that twenty-five weather balloons were spotted infiltrating Lithuania from neighboring Belarus, with a pair of them ending up directly over the airport's airspace.

Approximately 14 of the meteorological devices deployed throughout the weekend drifted across the capital region, which is home to Lithuania's main urban center and near the frontier with Belarus.

Contraband Recovery

At least 11 balloons carrying 18,000 packs of black-market cigarettes have since been recovered, though this number could rise, according to customs agents.

Cross-Border Contraband Trend

Although causing problems, representatives clarified that "Balloons with contraband - cigarettes from Belarus - are nothing new in Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland."

So far this year, 544 balloons have been observed infiltrating Lithuania from Belarus, while nearly a thousand were noted during the prior year.

Regional Consequences

Simultaneously, the north-eastern Podlaskie region, which also borders Belarus, has registered in excess of 100 cases in which illegal goods were transported from its border nation utilizing the weather devices.

Illegal Transport Methods

Regarding inquiries concerning why criminal organizations employ a method that is especially affected by weather conditions rather than simpler to operate drones, authorities explained that "Meteorological balloons are rudimentary tools used by smugglers - they are more economical than drones for carrying smoking materials from Belarus."

Security Service Goals

Authorities continued that "The objective of our agencies is to confiscate the maximum possible quantities of contraband and to apprehend coordinators and involved individuals so that such operations become not financially viable and create minimal risk to commercial air travel."

International Concerns

These airspace violations occur during a period of growing anxiety in Europe following numerous drone incursions that have resulted in flight interruptions across the continent.

Parallel situations in neighboring countries have caused EU officials to fast-track conversations about improving airspace protection throughout the continent.