West Bangka Police Failed To Smuggle Four Tons Of Illegal Tin

West Bangka Resort Police, Bangka Belitung Islands uncovered a case of four tons of illegal lead that failed to be smuggled out of Bangka Island through Tanjungkalian Port, Mentok, by arresting one perpetrator.

"The man with the initials Er (46) was arrested by a joint team in the Depati Amir Pangkalpinang Airport area, on Friday (21/6)," said Head of the West Bangka Police Polair Unit Iptu Yudi Lasmono as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, June 26.

The arrest of the perpetrator, who is suspected of being the owner of illegal tin, is a form of the Police's seriousness in eradicating the chain of illegal mining activities in the area.

Yudi said the arrest of the suspect was a follow-up to the development of the case of the arrest of the tin ore smuggling and lead beams weighing four tons carried out by the West Bangka Police at Tanjungkalian Port, Mentok, on Thursday (20/6) at around 06.00 WIB.

At that time, the West Bangka Police team was conducting routine inspections of the luggage of prospective passengers and the contents of truck transportation at Tanjungkalian Port, Mentok.

During the raid, the police found lead in the form of beams and sand weighing a total of four tons in the truck of one of the vehicles that would cross by ferry via the port to Sumatra Island.

Furthermore, officers secured the truck driver with the initials JM to be asked to show a letter or document for the cargo.

The officer carried out initial interrogation of the JM driver who was carrying the cargo and the driver admitted that he did not have legality or valid documents in carrying lead.

"After the interrogation, we received information on the tin transported by Er's truck, which we then arrested in the area of Depati Amir Pangkalpinang Airport. We suspect this owner will flee to Belitung," he said.

When asked for information by officers, Er admitted that he had ownership of sand and tin blocks which were previously secured by officers at Tanjungkalian Port.

Suspect Er was later arrested without a fight and then taken to the West Bangka Police Headquarters for further processing.

Suspect Er was charged with Law Number 3 of 2020 concerning mineral and coal mining, with a maximum prison sentence of five years and a fine of up to IDR 100 billion.