MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs has confiscated 198.5 kilos of dried marijuana in balikbayan boxes valued at P238.2 million smugled from Thailand, a BOC official said yesterday.
In a statement, BOC Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service director Verne Enciso said CIIS personnel conducted several operations last week that resulted in the discovery of 12 balikbayan boxes containing marijuana.
The boxes, misdeclared as consolidated and personal effects, arrived at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) last week.
Enciso said the CIIS-MICP received a tip about a shipment carrying consolidated balikbayan boxes and requested the issuance of alert orders.
“With the prompt response of the Office of the District Collector (ODC), we were able to apprehend the shipment and process it for a thorough examination. We then found hundreds of kilos of marijuana in a shipment originally declared to be consolidated balikbayan boxes and personal effects,” Enciso said.
From March 3 to 8, BOC examiners conducted a physical examination of the shipment’s contents. The examination was witnessed by representatives from the CIIS, Enforcement and Security Service, Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force, Philippine Coast Guard, Environmental Protection and Compliance Division, ODC and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Five balikbayan boxes consigned to Gerard Cruz and Erika Cruz were found to contain 126 packs of marijuana with a total weight of 65 kilos and a street value of P78 million.
Another five balikbayan boxes, consigned to BKKCHCF SHN, was found to contain 138 packs of marijuana weighing 70 kilos and valued at P84 million.
Two balikbayan boxes, consigned to Jonathan/Francis Ayala, held 63.5 kilos of marijuana hidden in food packages and blankets. The marijuana was valued at P76.2 million.
The BOC said that it is still validating and investigating the names of consignees that appeared on the balikbayan boxes and manifest.
BOC Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy said they returned the boxes of marijuana in the shipping container and had it padlocked and sealed.
The container will be in the BOC’s safekeeping until its personnel complete their inventory, after which the container would be turned over to the PDEA.
BOC Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said the operation would not have been possible without the cooperation of key government agencies and the bureau’s well-placed sources.