Belarus Drone Smuggling Attempt Foiled by Polish Border Guard, $892K in Cigarettes Seized

Polish Border Guard has intercepted a drone filled with illegal cigarettes in the Krynki municipality, which was launched from the territory of Belarus. The drone was carrying around 400 packs of cigarettes with Belarusian excise stamps, Polish Border Guard wrote in a post on X on November 6.

So far this year, the Podlaskie Branch of the Border Guard has reported 118 cases of cigarette smuggling using weather balloons and 18 instances involving drones.

Read more

Category

World

Russia’s Record Surge in Airspace Violations in 2024–2025 and NATO’s Response

Oct 01, 2025 13:35

The total estimated value of the seized cigarettes is approximately $892,515. A total of 29 individuals have been detained in connection with the smuggling operation.

Previously, it was reported that the Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas , Juozas Olekas, stated that the Baltic nations must move beyond simply intercepting Russian aircraft and Belarusian drones, and should acquire the capability to shoot down violators.

The speaker also called for considering stricter retaliatory measures against provocations originating from Belarus.

“We are part of NATO, and we are discussing among ourselves the need to change the current situation in the Baltic countries, where only air patrolling is carried out. These forces operate quite actively but often arrive with a delay to control the airspace. Our goal is to move from air patrolling to air defense so that, given appropriate decisions, we can not only intercept but also shoot down violators,” he stated.

Truth is Under Attack

Help our reporters investigate lies, verify facts, and deliver truth from Ukraine’s frontlines.

DEFEND THE TRUTH