(Luxembourg, 4 February 2026) – The Court of Appeal of Lithuania has upheld the convictions of two former Lithuanian customs officers, as well as two Belarusian citizens, for the smuggling of large quantities of cigarettes from Belarus, confirming the lower court’s judgement and dismissing the defendants’ appeals. The customs officers’ conviction for abuse of office was also upheld.
The case stemmed from an investigation led by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Vilnius into a scheme involving smuggling of millions of cigarettes produced in Belarus through the Lithuanian border. The cigarettes were transported by multiple trucks, and the customs checks were bypassed with the assistance of the two Lithuanian customs officers. Over three million packets of cigarettes were smuggled in this way, causing an estimated damage of approximately €10 million.
On 28 January 2026, the Court of Appeals also confirmed that the defendants acted in an organised criminal group, and upheld the civil action brought by the Customs authorities, ordering the defendants to reimburse over €9.7 million for the damage caused.
Due to amendments to the Criminal Code, the fines imposed on the convicted persons were slightly reduced, from €300 000 collectively to around €266 000.
The convicted persons have three months to appeal to the Supreme Court of Lithuania, after which the decision becomes final.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.