MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Dried marijuana leaves and oil with an estimated value of P29 million concealed inside balikbayan boxes were seized at the Manila International Container Port (MICP), the Bureau of Customs-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (BOC-CIIS) said on Monday.
Reports from the BOC-CIIS said that the operation was conducted last Friday, after receiving a derogatory report that balikbayan boxes from Canada, declared to be containing household goods, had contraband items instead.
The boxes were consigned to a residence in General Trias City, Cavite.
READ: BOC seizes P29.5 M marijuana concealed in balikbayan boxes
CIIS Director Verne Enciso said in a statement that the balikbayan boxes went through a physical examination at the Designated Examination Area (DEA) of the MICP.
鈥淲e received derogatory information about these two balikbayan boxes and immediately processed the proper documents to have them inspected. The examination found a total of 20,990 grams of kush and one liter of liquid substance we suspect to be kush oil,鈥� he said.
According to the BOC-CIIS report, the first box contained 20 vacuum-sealed plastic pouches, totaling to 9.809 kilograms of kush and one liter of a liquid substance.
On the other hand, the second box had 23 vacuum-sealed plastic pouches, with the kush weighing 11.181 grams.
The estimated street value of the illegal substance was at P29.38 million.
BOC Commissioner Bien Rubio said that this manner of importing illegal drugs into the country鈥攁side from being outright illegal鈥攄egrades the Filipino culture where overseas workers send gifts to their loved ones in the Philippines through balikbayan boxes.
鈥淵ou know, balikbayan boxes are very Filipino. This is ingrained into our culture and our tradition that wherever we are, we send balikbayan boxes back to our loved ones here in the Philippines because it shows we care,鈥� Rubio said.
鈥淯sing them for something illegal is an insult to our hardworking OFWs and their families who look forward to receiving even the simplest gifts contained in these boxes,鈥� he added.
Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy meanwhile said that this operation is still part of BOC鈥檚 mandate to secure the Philippines鈥� borders, and prevent the proliferation of illegal substances on the country鈥檚 streets.
鈥淲e must always remember that our mandate is not only to protect the country from dangerous narcotics, but to also prevent these illegal substances from reaching our communities. Operations like this also take drug traffickers out from the streets, hurt drug trafficking organizations, and take profits away from them,鈥� he noted.
This is not the first time that illegal items were concealed in balikbayan boxes. Last April 2024, the BOC seized around P29.5 million worth of marijuana, also at the MICP.
This batch of boxes meanwhile came from Thailand.
The examination of the balikbayan boxes was witnessed by representatives from the CIIS, Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force (CAIDTF), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), X-ray Inspection Project (XIP), and Office of the District Collector (ODC).
Samples from the seized items were taken and turned over to the PDEA for confirmatory testing.
Meanwhile, the consignees, senders, and recipients of the shipment may face charges for violating Section 118 (prohibited importation and exportation) and Section 1400 (misdeclaration) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.