Gold Mine Without A Distribution Permit At Halimun Salak, Ministry Of Transportation: This Is A Threat To The West Java-Banten Watershed

The Ministry of Forestry said that the activity of Unlicensed Gold Mining (PETI) in the Halimun Salak National Park (TN) was massive and threatened the sustainability of conservation areas which are one of the upper reaches of the important Watersheds (DAS) in West Java and Banten.

The Director General of Law Enforcement (Gakkum) of the Ministry of Forestry, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, said that during the operation of the Garuda Forest Area Control Task Force (PKH) on Wednesday, officers brought order to 55 illegal mining holes.

When combined with the previous two operations on 28 October November 6 and 18 22 November 2025, the total control that has been carried out includes 281 PETI holes, around 811 units of gold processing buildings and tents, 20,000 units of iron cylinders/smuggling, 105 units of engines, and the termination of 44 PLN power lines.

"PETI in the TN conservation area has occurred massively and threatens the sustainability of conservation areas which are one of the upstream watersheds in West Java Province and Banten Province," Dwi said as quoted by Antara, Jakarta, Thursday, December 4.

One of the threatened watersheds is the Cisadane River which originates in the TN area. In fact, the national park functions as a support for life, water management, as well as flood prevention and landslides.

"This operation is also a series of our preparedness for the rainy season which can cause landslides and floods," he said.

The Director of Forestry Crime Enforcement at the Ministry of Forestry, Rudianto Saragih Napitu, added that the latest operating results showed allegations that the area of illegal activity in TN was 493 hectares. This figure consists of PETI covering an area of 346 hectares and the construction of illegal villas in a conservation area of 147 hectares.

The potential state losses from PETI and illegal villas are estimated at IDR 304 billion. This value does not include losses from illegal mining products that have left the area.

Rudianto ensured that investigators from the Directorate General of Gakkum had examined witnesses and processed the crime scene to investigate the actors and investors.

"This control effort is a strategic step in disaster mitigation that can have an impact on society," he said.

The PKH Task Force and the Ministry of Law and Forestry are targeting the handling of illegal activities through the re-control of the TN maritime conservation area, along with the Production Forest (HP), Limited Production Forest (HPT), and protected forest which are the buffers with a total area of 105,072 hectares.

"If the instrument is not optimal, criminal law enforcement will be carried out as a last resort," said Rudianto.