Authorities recovered 40 bricks of alleged cocaine in the waters of Burgos, Surigao del Norte Sunday afternoon.

Caraga regional police on Monday said fishermen found these floating around 4:30 pm and they reported it to Burgos Municipal Police Station.

Sealed in rubberized cellophane and wrapped in fishnets with “3B Bugatti” markings, authorities said it is the same with the ones they recovered in Barangay Pacifico, San Isidro in Surigao del Nore last February 15.

The blocks of cocaine are estimated to weigh 48.575 kilograms. It has a Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of P 257.4 million and will be subjected to official weighing and confirmatory testing.

The blocks of cocaine are with the Burgos municipal police station. It will be turned over to the provincial crime laboratory office.

Police said the recovery was due to a public information drive initiated by the Caraga regional police director encouraging fisher folks to report suspicious bricks. Informants will be given a sack of rice per brick found. Ella Dionisio/DMS