27 arrested in Lithuania after
Photo: Litauens gränsbevakningstjänst/AP/TT

27 arrested in Lithuania after weather balloon smuggling from Belarus

Authorities in Lithuania have arrested 27 people after cracking down on criminal groups using weather balloons to smuggle goods from neighboring Belarus, European news agencies report.

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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.

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AuthorTT News AgencyEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for our readers
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