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Weather balloons transporting thousands of packs of cigarettes have disrupted flights in Lithuania, as the country's main airport was required to halt operations for an extended period when multiple of them floated into the national airspace.

Aviation Problems

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

Border Security Response

Authorities reported that 25 meteorological balloons were observed crossing into Lithuania from the border with Belarus, with a pair of them ending up directly over the airport's airspace.

Approximately 14 of the atmospheric instruments deployed throughout the weekend floated over the capital region, which is the location of Lithuania's main urban center and adjacent to the Belarusian boundary.

Smuggled Items Retrieved

At least 11 balloons transporting numerous containers of black-market cigarettes have since been recovered, though additional discoveries are expected, according to law enforcement authorities.

International Illegal Trade

Although causing problems, authorities noted that "Weather devices carrying illegal goods - Belarusian smoking products - are nothing new in the Baltic region and Poland."

To date in the current year, numerous meteorological balloons have been documented crossing into Lithuania from Belarus, while 966 were noted during the prior year.

Cross-Border Effects

At the same time, the north-eastern Polish territory, which also borders Belarus, has registered in excess of one hundred incidents in which illegal goods were transported from its border nation utilizing the balloons.

Illegal Transport Methods

When questioned about why smugglers utilize a technique that proves particularly vulnerable to weather factors rather than more controllable drones, officials clarified that "Meteorological balloons are rudimentary tools used by illegal traders - they are cheaper than drones for carrying smoking materials from Belarus."

Security Service Goals

Authorities continued that "Our services' aim is to confiscate the maximum possible amounts of illegal goods and to detain organisers and perpetrators so that these practices become not financially viable and do not pose risk to civil aviation."

International Concerns

The recent incidents occur during a time of increased concerns in Europe following numerous drone incursions that have resulted in flight interruptions across the region.

Recent incidents in adjacent nations have led European authorities to fast-track conversations about strengthening air defences throughout the region.