MANILA, Philippines — A fisherman who turned over cocaine bricks that he recovered from the sea in Surigao del Sur was arrested on Thursday for keeping some of the illegal drugs for himself.

Ronie Navales, 48, reportedly yielded four cocaine bricks when apprehended in Tandag City. He told police that he flushed two other bricks in the toilet.

However, probers said Navales could have sold the two bricks.

Police said Navales has been under surveillance after they received reports that cocaine is being sold in small quantities in the area.

”This serves as a warning to those who recovered cocaine bricks and are planning not to surrender these to authorities... Let us not be blinded by... greed of money... it will bring trouble to you and your family,” Brig. Gen. Gilberto Cruz, Caraga police director, said.

Navales turned over 34 cocaine bricks with an estimated value of P213 million that he and another fisherman found floating off the coast of Barangay Bungtod in February.

Philippine National Police spokesman Col. Bernard Banac had earlier called on fishermen not to keep cocaine bricks they fish out from the sea.

Banac said those who sell illegal drugs for easy money face charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said a kilo of cocaine is worth P5.3 million.

More than 100 kilos of cocaine have been recovered in the waters off Davao Oriental, Nueva Ecija, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Surigao del Sur as well as Dinagat and Siargao islands since February.

Authorities said drug rings could be dumping the cocaine bricks for recovery by their cohorts or to avoid detection by authorities.