NTB Illegal Mining Leak: Indonesian Navy Foils Smuggling of 36 Tons of Gold Concentrate Valued at IDR 5.49 Billion
MATARAM — Unlicensed gold mining activities in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) continue to cause severe leakages of the region’s natural resources. The Indonesian Navy’s 5th Main Command (Kodaeral V) in Surabaya intercepted an illegal shipment of 36 tons of gold concentrate sand originating from Sumbawa Island upon its arrival at Tanjungwangi Port, Banyuwangi, East Java.
The interception stemmed from maritime intelligence surveillance initiated on September 26, 2026, which tracked an undocumented truck carrying mining materials from Lembar Port in West Lombok. On the early morning of September 29, 2026, a joint team from the Kodaeral V Intelligence Detachment and the Banyuwangi Naval Base stopped a green Hino long-bed truck bearing Purwakarta license plates at Tanjungwangi Port.
Upon inspection, officers seized 1,500 sacks containing gold concentrate weighing a total of 36 tons and detained the sole driver, identified by the initials KA, a resident of Lombok. The driver failed to produce valid transport permits or official documentation regarding the origin of the mineral cargo.
Commander of the Indonesian Fleet, Vice Admiral Denih Hendrata, emphasized that this decisive maritime interception saved the state from potential economic losses estimated at IDR 5.49 billion.
”This figure demonstrates that every law enforcement effort at sea not only impacts security but also directly safeguards the nation’s wealth and economic interests,” Denih stated.
Meanwhile, Head of Intelligence at Lanal Mataram, Major (KH) Muhammad Bono, confirmed that based on initial ferry routes and intelligence tracking, the illegal gold concentrate is strongly suspected to have been extracted from unlicensed mining sites across Sumbawa Island.
The suspect KA is charged under Article 158 in conjunction with Article 161 and Article 149 paragraph (1) of Law No. 2 of 2025 on Mineral and Coal Mining. The suspect, along with the truck and the entire cargo, has been handed over to the Civil Servant Investigators (PPNS) at the Directorate General of Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) for further criminal investigation.
