Among the suspects are 13 police officers and border guards who allegedly used GPS and encrypted communications to coordinate and locate deliveries. A total of 49 people have been named.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene describes the arrests as "very painful news for the state and society."
Smuggling, mainly of cigarettes, has caused repeated disruptions to air traffic and led to temporary closures of Vilnius Airport. Since December, a state of emergency has been in place in Lithuania and tougher penalties for smuggling have been introduced.
