Border guards find crashed drone carrying Belarusian cigarettes

Lithuanian border guards intercepted a drone suspected of smuggling contraband from Belarus, discovering a crashed aircraft and a significant quantity of cigarettes. The incident occurred late Sunday evening when border patrol officers in the Varėna district heard a drone and used countermeasures to track its flight path.

Using a video surveillance system, the officers observed the drone flying from within Lithuania towards the state border before disappearing from view. The following morning, a search of the area led to the discovery of a broken drone and a package wrapped in plastic film. Inside the package were 500 packs of "Minsk 5 Superslims" cigarettes, bearing Belarusian excise stamps.

The seized cigarettes, valued at 2,755 euros including taxes, have been secured. An administrative case has been launched against unknown individuals for the illegal possession and transport of excise-taxed goods. The offense carries a potential fine of 5,200 to 6,000 euros.

This incident is part of a larger trend, with border guards having grounded 21 smuggler drones in the first five months of 2026. Last year, 59 drones were intercepted, and in 2024, 54 drones carrying Belarusian cigarettes were seized, highlighting the persistent challenge of cross-border smuggling.