FOUR persons engaged in selling fake gold bars were arrested by Cagayan de Oro police in an entrapment operation over the weekend.

Police Col. Aaron Mandia, Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) director, identified the suspects as Rey Naranjo, 58, married, a resident of Sitio Sumpong, Indahag, Cagayan de Oro City.

Also arrested were Junalie Licawan, 58, married, Ganghaan, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental; Jerson Liquinan, 28, single, residing at Barangay Mindagat, Malitbog, Bukidnon; and Jimwel Homonlay, alias Mark Anthony, 33, of Barangay Vista Villa, Sumilao, Bukidnon.

They were nabbed at about 12:00 noon Saturday while at Capistrano Complex, Gusa, this city.

In a police report, it was learned that the arrest was the result of a formal complaint lodged by a certain Mitchel Naranja, of Igpit, Opol, Misamis Oriental at the headquarter of City Mobile Force Company, headed by Police Col. Joephet Paglinawan.

Paglinawan then ordered Police Maj. Erickson Sabanal, who spearheaded the said operation together with Cocpo-City Intelligence Unit led by Police Lt. Col. Harvey Abellanosa and personnel from Police Station 3 in Agora.

Mandia said his men are also looking for individuals who have a connection to the said crime.

They were identified as Martinito Mejares, 28, a resident of Purok 7, Kisanday, Maramag Bukidnon, and four other persons who are only identified by their aliases as certain Vanessa Nguho, Deney Dwight Streegan, both residing at Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental; Eugene Cardona, and Ann Maried Cardona both of Barangay Canitoan, Cagayan de Oro.

Police said the group posed as members of ‘Ganghaan Landless Association’ counterfeit gold bars.

Police said the suspects’ areas of operation were the eastern part of Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro, and Bukidnon and that they have contacts at Sinuda, Kitaotao; and Malaybalay, all in Bukidnon for the supply of the said contrabands.

Operating elements were able to seize from the suspects’ possession two fake gold bars supposed to be valued at P15 million, bundles of bogus and real paper money, and a genuine P1,000 bill.

Mandia said the complainant had already been victimized by the same suspects sometime in April this year when he was able to give P500,000 in exchange for a gold bar that he discovered later to be fake.

Last week the same culprits contacted Naranja and offered him again two fake gold bars. The suspects demanded a P1.8 million for the said items.

Thinking that he could be defrauded again, the complainant reported to the authorities thus, an entrapment operation.

Charges for syndicated estafa are being prepared against the suspects.