Central Java Police Reveals Illegal Mining in Boyolali and Kendal

Central Java Regional Police has uncovered two illegal practices of C-grade mining in Boyolali and Kendal regencies, which are feared to damage the environment and have an impact on natural disasters.

Director of Special Criminal Investigation of Central Java Police, Kombes Djoko Julianto, said investigators had named suspects, who were the managers of the illegal mines.

At the sand mining location in Gowok Village, Boja District, Kendal Regency, investigators named the manager with the initials R (52) as a suspect.

Meanwhile, at the uruk land mine location in Karanggeneng Village, Boyolali Regency, the police named the manager with the initials S (40) as a suspect.

"From the two locations, excavators and dump trucks used for mining activities were also secured," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, February 23.

He explained that for illegal mines in Kendal, the price per rit of sand was Rp800 thousand, while the price of uruk soil from mines in Boyolali was Rp165 thousand per rit.

"The mining which has been operating for about two months is not equipped with a permit," he said.

In addition, he continued, land reclamation activities without environmental studies and technical supervision pose a risk of environmental damage and potential disasters for the community.

For their actions, the two suspects were charged with Law Number 3 of 2020 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining.