Riau Police Reveals Illegal Gold Storage PETI in Kuansing via Call Center 110 

JAKARTA - The Special Criminal Investigation Directorate (Ditreskrimsus) of the Riau Police through Subdit IV Tipidter has uncovered illegal gold storage and processing practices sourced from the Illegal Gold Mining (PETI) activity in Benai Kecil Village, Benai District, Kuantan Singingi Regency, Riau.

Director of Special Criminal Investigation of the Riau Police, Kombes Ade Kuncoro, explained that the disclosure began with the Polri 110 Call Center service. There are people who provide information related to illegal gold burning and storage activities in the Kuantan Singingi area.

"Following up on this information, the team of Subdit IV Tipidter conducted an investigation and on Sunday, February 2, 2026 at around 20.00 WIB, a raid was carried out at a rented house which was used as a location for processing and purifying gold nuggets," said Kombes Ade to reporters, Monday, February 2.

"Five people were then secured in the raid," Ade said. From this activity, one gold burner with the initials HM was named a suspect.

Meanwhile, four traditional miners with initials NP, HL, RO, and PR who have the status of witnesses. The team then found evidence in the form of gold grains, burning tools, and other equipment used in the illegal gold purification process.

"Based on the results of the development, the team then secured the suspect US who played a role as a collector and controller of the gold storage activity resulting from the PETI," he said.

Furthermore, a search was also carried out at the residence of the suspect US, which is about 120 meters from the location of the gold burning.

From the results of the search, officers found a number of items suspected of being related to illegal gold storage activities, one of which was cash worth Rp66,580,000.

"In addition to evidence related to PETI, during the search we also found methamphetamine and ecstasy pills along with inhalants stored by the suspect US," said Kombes Ade.

The findings of narcotics were then coordinated with the Riau Police Narcotics Investigation Directorate. The handover of evidence was carried out for further handling in accordance with the authority.

Ade said the suspect US was suspected of playing a central role in coordinating PETI activities in the Danau Boton area, Benai Kecil Village.

The suspect also managed gold mining activities without a permit, including providing a burning location, arranging the price of buying gold from miners to sharing the results with various cuts for operational purposes, land, and village costs.

In practice, the suspect US allegedly received a flow of funds from financiers with a value of hundreds of millions of rupiah in cash and transfers. He also coordinated around 25 rafts of gold miners in the area.

Investigators are still conducting further investigations by examining related witnesses and tracing the involvement of other parties. This step ensures that the entire series of legal acts can be fully accounted for.

"This action is the commitment of the Riau Police in enforcing the law firmly and professionally against PETI practices that damage the environment, harm the state, and have the potential to have social impacts," said Kombes Ade.

As a result of his actions, the suspect was charged with Article 161 of Law Number 3 of 2020 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining, with a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp. 100 billion.