A brick suspected to contain cocaine was recovered by authorities in Quezon province on Monday even as the Philippine National Police (PNP) said these items found off the country's eastern seaboards for more than a week weighed at least 90 kilos worth nearly P500 million,

Supt. Chitadel Gaoiran, spokesperson of the Calabarzon regional police, said based on initial report the brick was first found by Barangay Tanod Johnel Almirez Escudero of Brgy San Jose, Mauban, Quezon near the coastline coastline boundary of Brgy. Rosario and San Jose in Mauban around 9 am.

She said Escudero “tried to unwrap the thick packaging of the brick and saw the white substance. (He) then immediately reported the discovery to Brgy. chairman Lorenzo Pe?amora Ambon of Brgy San Jose.”

Gaoiran said the item will be brought to Quezon Crime Laboratory for examination.

She added that following the incident “all the municipal police station along the coastal areas of Quezon were directed to check or verify for the possibility of other packs carried by current ashore.”

In a press conference in Camp Crame on Tuesday, Senior Supt. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesman, said “the recovered cocaine at the eastern seaboard of the Philippines has reached to 92.7 kilos amounting to 491,254,226 pesos or more or less 500 million pesos based on the estimate of the Dangerous Drug Board.

"These were recovered in Regions 5 (Bicol), 4A (Calabarzon) and Caraga region," he said.

Banac said there is a possibility more bricks will be recovered at the eastern seaboard.

The PNP believes the discovery of these bricks of cocaine means the Philippines is being used as a transshipment point as local demand for the illegal substance is not high. Robina Asido/DMS