Lithuanian border guards who stood lookout during cigarette smuggling across the border were punished
In total, cigarettes worth almost 150 thousand euros were smuggled from Belarus to Lithuania using drones.
The court found six members of a group involved in smuggling Belarusian cigarettes guilty. Among those convicted are two junior specialists of the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service, the agency reports.
According to the case materials, on the night of October 27, 2024, the group, together with accomplices in Belarus, delivered 33 thousand packs of "Queen Menthol" cigarettes with Belarusian excise stamps, worth 150 thousand euros, to Lithuania in several drone flights.
The operation was prepared in advance: a farmstead for storing cigarettes was found, drones, control equipment, and communication devices were purchased.
Two border guards ensured that there were no patrols in the smuggling area.
They were exposed by employees of the internal security department of the same border service. Both were suspended from their positions from the beginning of the investigation.
The border guards were found guilty of smuggling, illegal circulation of excise goods, and abuse of official position.
One was fined 21.9 thousand euros, the other — 22.2 thousand. Both were prohibited from working as civil servants for four years.
The other four received fines ranging from 17 to 25 thousand euros. One of them was also responsible for the illegal storage of a hunting double-barreled shotgun, which was found at the farmstead during the search.
The verdict can be appealed.
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