A warning about stricter aircraft inspections in mid-August was announced by several users from Lithuania on “Facebook” and other social networks. At least some of these posts coincide.
“Germany is closing the flow of contraband cigarettes from Lithuania,” was reported on one account on August 10. – A document was published in Germany tightening the inspection rules for military transport aircraft arriving from the Baltic states. These measures were taken to reduce and prevent illegal cigarette smuggling from Lithuania to Germany.”
These actions are allegedly based on recently publicized media information that cigarettes were illegally transported from Lithuania to Germany for three years. Military aircraft were supposedly used for smuggling.
“If smuggling took place through military channels for three years, can the Government claim it knew nothing? It is obvious that such a scheme could not have existed for so long without the knowledge and involvement of top officials,” – it is considered on an account that regularly posts content critical of the Lithuanian authorities.
This also attempts to create the impression that Government officials not only failed to prevent such crimes but possibly participated in them.
It is likely that the account is used by an employee of a “troll” factory or a similar person for the purpose of spreading pro-Russian propaganda. This assumption arises from the volume and thematic focus of the published posts.
Also read: In front of the training ground in Kapčiamiestis – a flood of propaganda spread by pro-Kremlin accounts
It cannot be ruled out that the posts are created using artificial intelligence, possibly not even in Lithuanian, but then translated by an automatic translation program. This is also indicated by some parts of the quoted post.
For example, the term “aircraft” – planes are indeed called aircraft, but an airship or hovercraft is called an airship. Also – “illegal cigarette smuggling,” as if smuggling could ever be legal.
Active smuggling – earlier
Recently, reliable media outlets have not reported on long-term, systematic, and large-scale cigarette transportation from Lithuania to Germany, especially by military transport.
Understand instantly
Two men are accused of bringing Belarusian cigarettes worth 2 million euros into Lithuania from Latvia
A case of cigarette counterfeiters was handed over to the court: cigarettes worth 20.7 million euros were produced
Customs criminal investigators have seized a second truck with counterfeit cargo: this time worth 2 million euros
Members of a criminal cigarette transportation group, active also in Germany, were tried over a decade ago. Earlier, a cigarette smuggling logistics warehouse set up by Lithuanians was discovered in Germany.
A couple of years ago, border guards reported detaining a Lithuanian citizen who declared residence in Germany and intended to illegally transport Belarusian cigarettes. None of these stories involved military personnel or their transport.
Strengthening the fight
The truth is that German customs is intensifying efforts to combat organized crime and illegal tobacco trade. In 2025, about 256 million cigarettes were seized. Almost half of the reports about taxable goods came from airports.
But there is no official information in publicly available sources that Germany has announced additional inspections specifically for military cargo aircraft arriving from the Baltic states, prompted by cases of cigarette smuggling.
Recently, major cigarette smuggling incidents in the Baltic region have mostly involved balloons, drones, and criminal networks at the border with Belarus, especially affecting Lithuania. These cases receivedsignificant foreign media attention. Military cargo aircraft flying from Estonia, Latvia, or Lithuania to Germany did not feature in these stories.
Germany can inspect cargo and aircraft if there are customs, security, or intelligence-related reasons. However, special procedures may apply to military aircraft and military shipments. Such inspections would be coordinated between customs, military institutions, police, and relevant NATO or host country authorities.
No signatures, no correct positions
The circulated document itself should raise suspicion. The letters are somewhat blurred (in a real document they should be sharper), and a slightly darker background and borders can be seen, as if the paragraphs were arranged on a computer or even printed, cut out, and glued onto another sheet, for example, an official letterhead template.
Internet users do not mention where the “order” was taken from – no references to the Ministry of Defense (whose document it supposedly is), military or customs service websites, media reports, or official comments are provided.
At the end, the Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’s title and surname are merged into two words – DerBundesministerderVerteidigung and BorisPistorius. The title alone consists of four words – Der Bundesminister der Verteidigung. How B. Pistorius’s name and title appear in documents (also how prominent the stamp is) can be seen here.
A stamp is placed at the bottom of the second page, but there is neither the minister’s nor the jointly mentioned General Gerald Funke’s signature.
Even more – the latter’s position is incorrectly stated. The Lieutenant General of the Air Force is presented as the head of the Bundeswehr Joint Support Service (Streitkräftebasis).
During the armed forces structural reform, this service was abolished on April 1, 2025. Since then, the officer has headed the newly created Bundeswehr Support Service (Unterstützungsbereich).
The designation BMVg Rü II 5 – 7600/2026 indicates that the document is an internal order of the Ministry of Defense (BMVg) Armaments Department (Rü II), which traditionally deals with armament issues, material equipment, or specific public procurement projects. It is allegedly issued in Berlin, dated July 13, 2026. In fact, such an order does not exist, at least in publicly available sources.
15min verdict: false. There is no evidence that Germany applies a general inspection of military cargo aircraft arriving from the Baltic states due to increased cigarette smuggling.
Publication prepared by 15min in cooperation with “Meta”, aiming to stop the spread of misleading news on the social network. More about the program and its rules – here.
