MANILA (PNA) – More than P2.2 billion worth of cocaine had been recovered or confiscated by government authorities, particularly the police’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF), during intensified crack down against the illegal substance.

Sr. Supt. Frank Uyami, deputy commander of AIDSOTF, said a total of 454 bricks, each weighed about one kilogram, had been either surrendered or seized since December 2009, when the illegal substance was believed to have been dropped by foreign vessel along the waters off Samar provinces.

Uyami said one kilogram of cocaine has a street value of about P5 million.

Bulk of the 454 bricks, numbering 376 kilograms, were surrendered by concerned residents of Samar provinces following intensified information campaign launched by AIDSOTF, in coordination with local government and police authorities and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Only this month, Uyami said 32 bricks of cocaine were voluntarily surrendered by residents of Eastern Samar.

”The value of the recovered and seized dangerous drugs is pegged at P2,270,500,000,” he said.

Uyami, however, said that government authorities have to account for about 1.45 tons, or 1,450 kilograms of cocaine, which is part of the illegal substance dropped along the waters of Samar provinces.

The police official said authorities believed that approximately 1.9 tons of cocaine were dropped in the area.

”Some have been transported already while some, we believed, remains in Samar being held by some people,” said Uyami, as he cited information that drug syndicates are the primary buyers of the illegal substance for selling in urban areas or smuggled out of the country.

Following the discovery of the cocaine, Uyami said, the AIDSOTF launched intensified drive against the illegal substance, including the operation plan “Coke”.

”Our primary effort is persuading the public to surrender the dangerous drugs through their local officials and the media also,” he said.

Already, Uyami said AIDSOTF had arrested six persons involved in selling recovered cocaine.

“They are now facing non-bailable offense,” he said.

At present, the AIDSOTF and local government units are offering P1,000 each for one brick of cocaine while the PDEA is rewarding one sack of rice for every kilogram of the illegal drugs to lure local residents of Samar in possession of cocaine to voluntary surrender the stuff.