VILNIUS, October 28. /TASS/. The Lithuanian border guards have discovered more than 500 balloons with contraband cigarettes since the beginning of the year, and detained over 100 people on the spot, Deputy head of the State Border Protection Service at the Internal Ministry Antanas Montvidas said.

"This year the border guards have established and removed 544 balloons with contraband cigarettes from a landing site launched from the territory of Belarus," he told reporters.

The smugglers who arrived to pick up the parcels were detained. "101 people were detained," Montvydas said.

According to Vilnius, the organizers of smuggling from Belarus use meteorological probes to carry cigarettes. Balloons, according to Lithuania, threaten flight safety. Cigarette smuggling suspended Vilnius International Airport four times last week.