A fisherman who was called a “Good Samaritan“ after handing in 34 bricks of cocaine they found floating in the sea waters of Surigao del Sur in Philippines has been arrested after keeping six bricks for himself.
Ronie Navales, 48, was hailed a hero and was rewarded with sacks of rice and Sh 14,000 by Police Brigadier General Gilberto Cruz after he and a fellow fisherman, Ryan Apelo, 23, turned over to the police 34 bricks of cocaine worth Sh 50million (£500,000) which they found while fishing last February 23.
But according to CNN Philippines, police said Navales was placed under surveillance after they received an intelligence report that cocaine was being sold in the area.
After detecting he was already the subject of a police operation, Navales turned himself in at the police station and produced four more cocaine bricks but confessed that he had flushed two more bricks in the toilet bowl.
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He was arrested and charged with possession of dangerous drugs while the surrendered cocaine bricks were turned over to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
If found guilty, he could face possible life sentence