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Lithuanian authorities said on Tuesday they had arrested 21 people suspected of being involved in a criminal network that in recent weeks violated the Baltic nation’s airspace and smuggled cigarettes from Russian-allied Belarus using specially equipped weather balloons.
The Lithuanian General Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement that investigators carried out more than 80 searches and seized cigarettes with Belarusian goods stamps, SIM cards, communications and tracking signal jamming devices, and firearms.
Luxury cars and valuable property were also seized.
More than 140 police officers from the Lithuanian Criminal Police Service, Vilnius Police and Special Anti-Terrorism Units took part in Tuesday’s operation.
The prosecutor’s office said in a statement that the alleged network was “characterized by a very strict conspiracy and division of roles, and the cigarette smuggling was carried out in an organized and coordinated manner under the strict control of the organizer (leader) and his trustees.”
Prosecutors claim that the organizers may have had direct contact with accomplices operating in the Republic of Belarus, from which balloons loaded with smuggled cigarettes could have been launched under favorable weather conditions.
“The movement of the balloon was monitored using tracking (GPS) devices and appropriate programs, and the exact coordinates of its landing in Lithuania were transmitted to the executioners,” the prosecutor said.
βAfter recovering the contraband, the latter had to deliver it to a pre-agreed point or hand it over to other persons involved in the crime.β
Lithuanian authorities announced that all 21 suspects will be charged with participating in a criminal organization, illegally handling and smuggling goods, and aiding and abetting anti-Lithuanian actions in other countries.
Earlier this month, Lithuania declared a national emergency due to the security risks posed by weather balloons sent from Belarus.
Lithuania repeatedly closed its main airport in the capital Vilnius due to the balloon attack, stranding thousands of people and temporarily closing two land borders with Belarus.
Belarusian President Aliaksandr Lukashenka has denounced the border closure as an “insane fraud” and part of a “hybrid war” against his country.
Entire Europe on high alert after drone flight Incursions into NATO airspace reached unprecedented proportions in September, prompting European leaders to agree to develop the aircraft. “Drone Wall” We will operate along the country’s borders to better detect, track and intercept drones that violate European airspace.
NATO military officials announced in November that a new U.S. anti-drone system had been deployed to the alliance’s eastern flank.
In response to the violation of Polish airspace, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced: Creation of the Eastern Sentry Programaimed at deterring further Russian aggression.
Some European officials have described the incident as Russia testing NATO’s response, raising questions about how well prepared the alliance is against a potential threat from Russia.
The Kremlin has dismissed as “baseless” claims that Russia is involved in some of the unidentified drone flights in Europe.
Additional sources of information β’ AP