15 Illegal Gold Miners In Pasaman Arrested

The Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) of the Resort Police (Polres) of Pasaman Regency, West Sumatra arrested 15 perpetrators of illegal gold mining crimes at Batang Air Sibinail Jorong IV Sumpadang Nagari Padang Mantinggi, Rao District on Saturday (13/9).

The head of the Pasaman Police Satreskrim AKP Fion Joni Hayes in Lubuk Attitude, Sunday, said that in the operation to control the crime of gold mining without a permit, a perpetrator was also arrested as a financier with the initials MY (54).

"The arrest of the perpetrator who was found mining gold mineral using a dompeng machine in Batang Air Sibinail Jorong IV Sumpadang Nagari Padang Mantinggi, Rao Pasaman District. The perpetrators were arrested as many as 15 people including MY financier (54)," explained AKP Fion Joni Hayes.

He said the perpetrators each had the initials R (51), RDn (59), S (43), M (46), and several others from Ampung Siala Village, Batang Natal District, Mandailing Natal Regency, North Sumatra.

"In addition, there are initials AS (34), DS (26), SL (38), SL (46), DR (42), RPR (29), KA (33) and MA (25)," he said.

The perpetrators from the Pasaman area of the suspect who were arrested were S (36) and MB (32).

Meanwhile, MY (54) is suspected of playing the main financier of Jorong IV Sumpadang Nagari Padang Mantinggi, Rao District, Pasaman Regency, West Sumatra.

"All the perpetrators along with a set of tools for illegal gold miners have been secured at the Pasaman Police Headquarters for further legal proceedings," he said.

He said that gold mining without a permit is a criminal act regulated in Law Number 3 of 2020 concerning Amendments to Law Number 4 of 2009 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining (UU Minerba).

"The perpetrator of illegal gold mining activities can be threatened with a maximum imprisonment of 5 years and/or a maximum fine of Rp. 100 billion, as well as additional criminal sanctions for those who accommodate or sell illegal mining products," he said.