Balloons Carrying 20,000 Packs of Cigarettes Explode in Lithuania

Two hot air balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes collided with power lines and exploded in central Lithuania on Wednesday, October 21. Police discovered nearly 20,000 packs of suspected contraband cigarettes at the two explosion sites. The incidents took place in the Kėdainiai and Kaišiadorys districts within a 24-hour period. The first explosion occurred around 6 a.m. near Padotnuvys village in the Kėdainiai district.

Firefighters initially thought a streetlight had exploded, but later found a balloon that had struck power lines and exploded. Debris from the balloon was burning along the roadside, and police recovered 10 packages tied with rope containing around 15,000 packs of suspected contraband cigarettes. The cause of the second explosion, which occurred at 11 p.m. in Šakniai village in the Kaišiadorys district, remains under investigation.

Authorities recovered approximately 4,900 packs of suspected contraband cigarettes at the second site. Modestas Tvaravičius, head of the Dotnuva District, stated that this was the first such incident in the area, and the balloons likely landed on a farmer's land. The combined recovery of cigarettes from both incidents amounted to around 19,900 packs.