Balloons are used to smuggle cigarettes closed Velneus Airport

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Balloons carrying thousands of cigarettes were disrupted by flights in Lithuania, where Felnis Airport was forced to close for hours when dozens of them float in the country’s airspace.

The National Crisis Management Center (NCMC) told the BBC that 25 meteorological balloons were discovered entering Lithuania from neighboring Belarus, which ended directly over the airport.

The airport said the closure led to the abolition of 30 flying, affecting 6000 passengers. He warned that there was still a delay on Monday.

“Air field violations” come An increased tension in Europe After a number of drones, the suspect is linked to Russia, causing air traffic disruption.

Moscow denied any involvement in recent accidents.

Lithuanon officials said up to 14 balloons that were launched at the weekend floating on the Felnis region, the home of the capital of Lithuania and close to the border with Belarus.

The government border guards service in Lithuania said that at least 11 balloons carrying 18,000 packages of cigarettes on the black market have been recovered since then, although this number may rise.

Despite the disturbance they caused, a NCMC spokesman said: “Balloons with smuggled goods – cigarettes from Belarus – are not new in Lithuania, Latvia and Poland.”

He said that so far this year, 544 balloons were registered to enter Lithuania from Belarus, while 966 was last year.

Meanwhile, the northeastern Podlaski area in Poland, which also borders Belarus, recorded more than 100 cases in which the smuggler was transferred from its neighbor using balloons, which are usually used to transfer weather tools to high altitudes.

In one case last month, the Polish police detained a pectical citizen whose car was around the cigarettes that were smuggled with a balloon. According to what was reported, the geographical location mark was found on its phone linked to illegal commodities.

In response to a question about the reason why criminals used a very vulnerable way to weather, instead of more controlled drones, NCMC spokesman said: “Meteorological balloons are a primitive tool used by smugglers – they are cheaper than drones to transport cigarettes from the Belarus.”

He added: “The goal of our services” is to seize the largest possible quantities of smuggling and detain the organizers and perpetrators so that this activity is not profitable and does not pose a danger to civil aviation. “

Done -of -sample drones caused the closure of Danish airports and the air field in September. Drones were also seen on the neighboring Norway and Germany, prompting European leaders to accelerate discussions on strengthening air defenses.

Denmark said at the time there was no evidence indicating Russian involvement, although Moscow is blamed for the exhumation of the former airspace in Poland, Estonia and Romania.

Russia denied these previous incursions or They said they were crosses As it continues to invade on a large scale for nearby Ukraine.



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