Balloons filled with illegal cigarettes cause airport chaos in Lithuania

Flights at Lithuania’s main airport were thrown into chaos after authorities intercepted balloons carrying illegal cigarettes from Belarus. 

Officials say the balloons were launched from several locations across the Belarusian border.

"The gang's downfall is the very fact that they used balloons because they are notoriously unpredictable and impossible to control. You send a balloon off, where does it end up?" notes international correspondent Adam Gilchrist.

This isn’t the first time contraband has flown into that country via balloons; a previous attempt involved 25 balloons carrying 40,000 cigarettes.

To listen to Gilchrist in conversation with Stephan Grootes on 702's Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa, use the audio player below [skip to 3:30].