Police were investigating today after two plastic drums with dead bodies inside were found floating in a river in the Philippines.

Local angler Efren Gache was fishing when he noticed the two blue plastic containers drifting along the Busig-on River in Camarines Norte province on Tuesday morning, April 2.

He returned with other villagers later that morning to retrieve the drums, thinking they could still be used.

However, as the locals pulled the plastic barrels ashore, a foul odour assaulted their noses.

They prised open the drum covers to reveal the contents, and were horrified to find two dead men inside. They were curled up and entombed in cement.

Officers believe they were both murdered in a chilling gangland-style execution.

Lieutenant Colonel Augusto Manila, Labo Municipality Police Chief, said: 'We sent an intel and investigation team to the scene to cordon off the area, where the two drums were found floating in the Busig-on River.'

The police chief added there were no missing persons reports in Labo and neighbouring towns, suggesting the men may have been killed elsewhere before being dumped in the river.

The deceased were believed to have been dead for around three weeks due to the advanced state of decomposition.

Police were still trying to determine their identities.

Lieutenant Colonel Augusto added: 'If the locals find anyone suspicious in our town, especially visitors not from this area, they can call our hotline so the police can verify their claims.

'We believe that the victims were murdered and then disposed of in the barrels of cement to try and stop anyone from identifying them. It has all the signs of a drugs gang execution.'