Police reported that seven balloons believed to be carrying smuggled cigarettes crossed from Belarus into Poland on Christmas Eve. Four balloons were recovered in the north-eastern Podlaskie region carrying thousands of packets of illegal cigarettes, while three others were tracked in the eastern Lubelskie region. Poland’s Operational Command of the Armed Forces said the balloons were monitored by radar and parts of the airspace were temporarily closed to ensure civilian flight safety.
Authorities said the incident highlights the continued use of radio-controlled weather balloons by smugglers to move contraband across the Poland–Belarus border amid heightened border security. Similar methods have been detected across the region in recent weeks, with Lithuanian officials arresting 21 suspects over balloon-based cigarette smuggling, and Lithuania declaring a national state of emergency on December 9 following repeated airspace incursions linked to smuggling operations.