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Tag: airport

  • India Seeks to Quash Adani’s Duty-Free Pouch Challenge

    India Seeks to Quash Adani’s Duty-Free Pouch Challenge

    India’s government is seeking to dismiss Adani Group’s legal challenge over the sale of nicotine pouches at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, arguing that the products represent a “substantive violation” of drug laws and a public health risk. Authorities said nicotine pouches, which are classified as drugs under Indian law, remain unapproved and cannot be sold simply because they are imported, stored in customs-bonded warehouses, or marketed to departing international passengers. “The fact that they are stored in a customs-bonded warehouse does not mean they ⁠are not physically present in India,” the government said.

    Adani argued that drug regulations should not apply to duty-free sales and has challenged the regulatory interpretation in court, a case that could set a precedent for how India handles the sale of nicotine pouches at international airports. The government maintained that nicotine is an addictive chemical and warned that allowing unapproved products could expose consumers to products with unverified safety and quality standards.

  • Cigarette-Smuggling Balloons Shut Down Lithuanian Airport

    Cigarette-Smuggling Balloons Shut Down Lithuanian Airport

    Balloons carrying thousands of packs of illicit cigarettes shut down the Vilnius Airport in Lithuania when they floated into the country’s airspace.

    According to the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC), 25 meteorological balloons were detected entering the country from Belarus, and two ended up directly over the airport.

    The “airspace violations” follow a number of drone incursions suspected of being linked to Russia disrupting air traffic, according to the BBC. Russia has denied any involvement.

    “Balloons with contraband cargo—cigarettes from Belarus—are nothing new in Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland,” said a NCMC spokesperson. This year, 544 balloons have been recorded entering Lithuania from Belarus, according to the spokesperson. Last year, 966 balloons were recorded.

    “Meteorological balloons are a rudimentary tool used by smugglers—they are cheaper than drones for transporting cigarettes from Belarus,” the spokesperson said. “Our services’ aim is to seize the largest possible quantities of contraband and to detain organizers and perpetrators so that this activity is unprofitable and does not pose a risk to civil aviation.”