Bangladesh, Dec. 18 -- Lithuanian authorities have uncovered what officials describe as one of the most sophisticated cigarette smuggling operations in the countrys recent history, arresting 21 individuals linked to a criminal network that allegedly used hot-air and helium-filled balloons to transport contraband cigarettes from neighboring Belarus. The operation, revealed in a statement by Lithuanias Prosecutors Office, highlights not only the persistence of organized smuggling along the European Unions eastern frontier but also the increasingly inventive methods criminal groups are deploying to evade law enforcement and border controls.

The arrests followed a sweeping, nationwide crackdown involving approximately 80 coordinated raids ca...