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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 forced to close for hours when dozens of them entered the country's airspace.

Flight Disruptions

The airport closure led to 30 flight cancellations impacting thousands of passengers, with airport representatives alerting that additional delays could occur throughout Monday.

Border Security Response

Border security stated that twenty-five weather balloons were detected entering Lithuania from the adjacent country of Belarus, with a pair of them ending up directly over the aviation facility.

Approximately 14 of the meteorological devices sent during the weekend drifted across the Vilnius area, which is home to Lithuania's primary metropolis and near the border with Belarus.

Contraband Recovery

A minimum of 11 balloons carrying numerous containers of illegal tobacco products have now been retrieved, though additional discoveries are expected, according to customs agents.

Cross-Border Contraband Trend

While creating issues, officials emphasized that "Balloons with contraband - tobacco products originating in Belarus - are not unusual in neighboring countries."

To date in the current year, over five hundred weather devices have been recorded entering Lithuania from Belarus, while nearly a thousand were recorded last year.

Neighboring Country Impact

Meanwhile, the north-eastern Polish territory, which also borders Belarus, has registered in excess of numerous instances in which illegal goods were transported from its adjacent country employing the balloons.

Smuggling Techniques

When questioned about why criminal organizations employ a technique that proves especially affected by weather conditions rather than easier to manage drones, officials clarified that "Weather devices are basic instruments used by contraband transporters - they are cheaper than drones for carrying smoking materials from Belarus."

Law Enforcement Objectives

Representatives further stated that "Our services' aim is to capture the greatest possible volumes of smuggled items and to arrest masterminds and involved individuals so that such operations become not financially viable and create minimal risk to civil aviation."

European Tensions

Such border infiltrations occur during a period of growing anxiety in Europe following multiple unmanned aircraft violations that have created aviation problems across European nations.

Recent incidents in adjacent nations have caused EU officials to speed up talks about enhancing aerial security throughout European airspace.