Police Name 3 Suspects In Illegal Sand Mining Case In Merapi
The Directorate of Certain Crimes (Dittipidter) of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police has named three suspects in the illegal sand mining case located in the Gunung Merapi National Park area, Magelang, Central Java.
Director of Tipidter Bareskrim Polri Brigadier General Moh. Irhamni said the three suspects were DA as the owner of the sand depot, as well as WW and AP as the owner and financier of illegal sand mining.
Dittipidter Bareskrim Polri together with the Gunung Merapi National Park Center (TNGM), the Central Java Provincial Energy and Mineral Resources Service, the Magelang Police, and other relevant agencies take firm action against illegal sand mining activities located within the Gunung Merapi National Park area.
Based on the results of the investigation, it was found around 36 locations of illegal sand mines and 39 sand depots spread across five sub-districts, namely Srumbung, Salam, Muntilan, Mungkid, and Sawangan.
The mining activity is known to have operated for about 1.5 years with an area of 6.5 hectares of land, as well as a value of financial transactions of IDR 48 billion.
If calculated from all illegal mining activities in the Magelang Regency area in the last two years, the total transaction value is estimated at IDR 3 trillion.
Irhamni emphasized that illegal sand mining in conservation areas not only violates the law but also threatens the sustainability of the environment and the lives of the surrounding community.
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"Illegal sand mining activities in the Gunung Merapi National Park area cause major losses to the state and damage ecosystems that should be protected. We are not only taking action against perpetrators in the field, but also tracing the network involved from upstream to downstream," he said.
According to him, if it is calculated from 36 illegal sand mining locations in the Magelang Regency area, the number of which has increased in the last two years, it is estimated that the value of financial transactions related to the activities of all illegal sand mines in the Magelang Regency area in that period will reach around Rp. 3 trillion.