2 Years of Acting Across the Province, the False Gold Swindler Was Arrested at the Wonosobo Wholesale Market

Kasat Reskrim of the Wonosobo Police, AKP Arif Kristiawan, shows evidence of a fraud case in Wonosobo. ANTARA/HO - Wonosobo Police

WONOSOBO - The Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) of the Wonosobo Police has arrested six suspects in a cross-provincial gold trading fraud syndicate that has been active for more than two years and was last spotted in the Wonosobo Central Java Market area.

Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of Wonosobo Police, AKP Arif Kristiawan, said the perpetrators were known to have carried out their activities from 2023 to 2025 by targeting the areas of Bali, East Java, and Central Java.

"Based on the results of the investigation, the perpetrators are a syndicate from Jember who have acted in at least 12 cities in three provinces," said Arif in Wonosobo, Antara, Wednesday, December 17.

The six suspects who were arrested were each given the initials YEN (44) who was suspected of being the mastermind of the syndicate and was tasked with coordinating the collection and sale of gold. YEN was assisted by his son, RAS (25), who played a role in making a fake purchase note.

In addition, the suspect IY (32) acted as the driver, while the other three suspects, namely NA (32), HDI (40), and SK (35) acted as field executors who offered jewelry to a number of gold shops.

Arif explained that the jewelry was obtained from a supplier with the initials X, a resident of Malang, who has now been designated as a wanted person (DPO) and is still being pursued by the police.

"All the names of cities, gold shops that were targeted, to the results obtained by the perpetrators were recorded in detail in a red batik book. We secured the book as one of the main evidence," he said.

From the record, the police learned that this syndicate had acted in various areas. Especially in Wonosobo Regency, the perpetrators were recorded as carrying out their activities in three gold shops with a total loss of Rp. 47,900,000.

The disclosure of this case began with a report from the owner of an gold shop who found that the jewelry he bought was only gold-plated and equipped with a fake note. The police then secured two perpetrators at the initial location of the incident.

"From the statements of the two perpetrators, we developed the case until we managed to arrest four other suspects who were waiting in a car around Alun-alun Wonosobo," said Arif.

In the disclosure, the police seized a number of evidence, including one red batik book, one silver digital scale, nine gold bracelets, one gold Italy necklace, one gold pepper necklace, two pieces of blue-tipped carbon paper, cash Rp47,900,000, one unit of Suzuki Ertiga silver car with police number P 1797 DG, and blank notes from a number of gold shops in various areas.

Arif appealed to gold traders to always be vigilant and carry out layered checks before buying jewelry, especially from sellers outside the area.

"We ask traders not to easily believe in the purchase note and always test the authenticity of gold," he said.

For their actions, the suspects were charged with Article 378 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code concerning fraud in conjunction with a maximum sentence of four years in prison.