The stolen diamonds were contained in a plastic resealable pouch and hidden in a wallet inside the box sent by one Arturo R Rivera from Kuala Lumpur, BOC commissioner Nicanor Faeldon said.
The package was addressed to one Lajane Basilio of Purok 1, Luakan, Bataan, according to a report in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
“It is disheartening to confiscate a balikbayan box believing it contains gifts and other items for the loved ones of overseas Filipinos. However, we cannot tolerate Filipinos abroad who use these boxes for smuggling as it violates our laws,” Faeldon was quoted as saying.
A balikbayan box is described as a cardboard box filled with gifts sent by a Filipino living overseas to his family and friends back in the Philippines.
Filipinos working abroad are allowed to send up to three P150,000-worth (RM13,500) of tax and duty free balikbayan boxes every year, provided that the goods are not intended for sale, barter, hire, or other commercial purposes.
The box was searched following a tip off from the national bureau of investigations.
The BOC statement did not provide other details, such as the diamond’s owner and how and exactly where they had been stolen.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported Faeldon as saying the box was believed to have arrived on Dec 5 aboard a freight container, holding 245 other packages, from Port Klang’s Westport.
It said the BOC had yet to determine the value of the 22 diamonds.
The bureau said charges were being prepared against Rivera and Basilio.
This is not the first time Filipinos living abroad have used the balikbayan box to smuggle in goods.
In August, Faeldon revealed that the BOC had uncovered several firearms inside a balikbayan box at a warehouse at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The Rappler had reported that the balikbayan box had been sent by a certain Maiko Claridad from California, US, to businessman Leo Mendieta of Bacolod City. Mendieta and an assistant were subsequently arrested.