THE Bureau of Customs-Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (BOC-CIIS) seized some P29 million worth of marijuana and kush oil hidden in two balikbayan boxes that arrived at the Manila International Container Port (MICP).

Customs Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio said the seizure was made on Monday.

He denounced the modus of smuggling illegal drugs through balikbayan boxes, lamenting how it degrades the "very Filipino" act of sending goods to their loved ones.

"You 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. Using 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," the commissioner said.

CIIS Director Verne Enciso said the balikbayan boxes already underwent physical examination at the Designated Examination Area (DEA) of the MICP conducted by the assigned Customs examiner.

"We 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 [high-grade marijuana] and one liter of liquid substance we suspect to be kush oil," he said.

The first box contained 20 vacuum-sealed plastic pouches, totaling to 9,809 grams of kush and 1 liter of liquid substance.

The second box had 23 vacuum-sealed plastic pouches, totaling 11,181 grams of kush.

Enciso said that the 43 vacuum-sealed plastic pouches of kush and 1 liter of liquid substance have an estimated total street value of P29,386,000.

The examination of the balikbayan boxes was witnessed by representatives from the CIIS, Enforcement and Security Service (ESS), Customs Anti-Illegal Drug Task Force, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine Coast Guard, X-ray Inspection Project, and Office of the District Collector.

The samples from the suspected marijuana were also turned over to PDEA for confirmatory testing.

Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence Group Juvymax Uy underscored the importance of the BOC's border security mission.

"We 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," he said.

The consignees, senders and recipients of the shipment will face charges under Customs law for violating Section 118 (prohibited importation and exportation) and Section 1400 (misdeclaration) in relation to Section 1113 (property subject to seizure and forfeiture) of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).