Fishermen have recovered at least 40 bricks of suspected cocaine worth P212 million anew within the municipal waters of Burgos, Surigao del Norte on Sunday afternoon in yet another big drug haul in the eastern seaboard of the country, police reported Monday.
A report from the Caraga Police Regional Office (PRO-13) said the suspected cocaine bricks were discovered by fishermen Alvin and Abundio Dumanjog, and Rodulfo Romeo around 4:30 p.m.
The bricks were found floating on the sea about two kilometers from the shoreline, the police said.
The bricks weighed around 40 kilos, sealed with rubberized black cellophane plastic and wrapped with a black fishnet, the police added.
The discovery was reported to the members of Burgos Municipal Police Station (MPS) who conducted an ocular inspection of the contraband.
It was found out that the packaging of the bricks bore “3B Bugatti” markings, similar to the markings found on the packaging of 40 bricks discovered by the locals in San Isidro, Surigao del Norte on Feb. 14 and 15.
Authorities have yet to determine the total weight and the street value of the discovered bricks.
The bricks were turned over to the Provincial Crime Laboratory Office (PCLO), the Caraga police said.
The discovery of the suspected cocaine bricks was the latest in a series of floating cocaine sightings in the country.
In February alone, at least 12 discoveries of floating cocaine were reported to the police.
During the said period, around 872 kilos of cocaine worth P872 million were found, said Police Col. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, in a previous interview.
The discoveries were in Camarines Norte (Feb. 10, 11); Dinagat Islands (Feb. 12); Surigao del Norte (Feb. 14, 15); Camarines Norte (Feb. 16); Quezon province (Feb. 17, 18); Nueva Ecija (Feb. 24); Surigao del Norte (Feb. 24); and Davao Oriental (Feb. 24, 25).
Another discovery was reported to police on March 2 when a brick of cocaine was found in Baler, Aurora.
Last year, at least four discoveries were noted by the police. (Martin Sadongdong)
