Balloon Barrage: Poland Seizes Smuggled Cigarettes from Belarus
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Polish forces seized over 5,000 packs of smuggled cigarettes on Christmas Day. The goods entered the country by an unusual method: weather balloons flown from neighboring Belarus.
The Polish Border Guard reported the incident. Officials said the balloons crossed the border in the eastern region.
Authorities are calling the event a deliberate provocation. They warn that such methods could be used to transport more dangerous items, not just contraband cigarettes.
This incident increases tensions along the Poland-Belarus border. The area has seen a migrant crisis and heightened military activity for years.