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SOPHIEL ISSAH Arbid, a Palestinian-American, has been arrested by officers of the Vetting and Crime Analysis (VCA) Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for his alleged involvement in a gold scam. The 59-year-old man was arrested on Friday June 29, 2012. He is suspected to be connected to other scams which are currently being investigated at the unit. According to the Director of the VCA, C/Supt. Denis Abade, on Monday June 25, 2012, the suspect and his Ghanaian cronies lured Kaga Yusuke, 36, a Japanese, into the country through his compatriot who was a businessman. Ironically, the Japanese who introduced Kaga Yusuke to Arbid was himself a victim who was lured into the country by Arbid and duped by a syndicate. He however does not know that his host (Arbid) was part of the scam. Oblivious of the fact that Arbid was not a genuine business person, the Japanese introduced Yusuke to him, claiming the suspect knew some Ghanaian gold dealers who the complainant could buy 3kg of gold from. On Thursday, June 28, 2012, Arbid introduced Yusuke to two supposed Ghanaian gold dealers, with whom the complainant bargained to buy 3kg of gold at the cost of $120,000. On the said day, the two Ghanaians led the suspect and the complainant to the offices of Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) Ltd, where they tested 3kg of a substance which was certified as pure gold. Yusuke, who was convinced that the tested stuff was indeed gold, then paid the $120,000 at an agreed location near the Ridge Roundabout in exchange for the gold. He was handed three pieces of golden metallic bars and was asked to pick the assayer�s report at the PMMC the next day. Yusuke was however stunned when at the PMMC offices the next day, he was told that the substance was not gold after officials suspected a change in the weight of the substance and ordered for re-testing. The VCA director has called on persons who have been scammed by a syndicate involving a so-called white man, or have any knowledge of the suspect�s activities to visit the unit at the CID Headquarters to assist police with information.