Uncompromising reality

The system has cracked. Illegal migrants have now replaced cigarettes. The situation has gotten so out of control that Lithuania is forced to call in the military for patrols. The Minister of Internal Affairs clearly states: “No country knows how to destroy a balloon a few kilometers away.” These dangerous “flying packages” threaten civil aviation, disrupting the operation of Vilnius Airport. Lithuanian statistics clearly demonstrate the scale of the problems that we can expect in Ukraine.

Recently, 40 balloons and 81,544 packs of smuggled cigarettes have been seized in Lithuania. Thus, one balloon carries an average of 2,038.6 packs. And if we look at the Ukrainian reality? Kantar Ukraine research says about 5.3 billion cigarettes, which is almost 265 million packs. If we try to transport all this illegal goods with the same balloons, we will get a terrible figure: about 130 thousand balloons! Yes, we have other transportation schemes, but even a part of this contraband that ends up in the sky will create a global threat. Imagine: the sky of Ukraine is filled with smuggled balloons.

Lithuania has already declared a state of emergency, which gives it the opportunity to use the military to detect and detain contraband. The authorities receive new powers: prosecution, document checks, detention. Lithuanian experience shows: the fight against the illegal tobacco market requires tough measures. In Ukraine, the volume of the illegal cigarette market significantly exceeds the Lithuanian one. And here comes the moment of truth: a coordinated fight by all law enforcement agencies is a matter of survival. According to Kantar Ukraine, budget losses from this illegal business could reach 25 billion hryvnias by 2025.

Original source: https://espreso.tv/