Two Illegal Miners In Kukar Kaltim Arrested

KUKAR - Two suspects involved in illegal coal mining (illegal mining) in Loa Kulu, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan (Kaltim) with the initials HS (47) and ES (38), were arrested by the police.

"We secured HS and ES on Friday (17/9), when they cleared land in the PT Multi Harapan Utama (MHU) concession," said Loa Kulu Police Chief AKP Gandha Syah Hidayat, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, September 21.

The arrest of the suspect, he continued, began with a report by Samsir, PT MHU's External Relationship who received information from PT MHU's Head of Security, Sudarmadi.

Previously, on September 10, the PT MHU patrol team discovered land clearing activities or the opening of new dirt roads in Margahayu Village, Loa Kulu District, Kutai Kartanegra (Kukar).

Then the patrol team led by Sudarmadi as the head of security, took coordinates to confirm the location of the incident where the road opening was being carried out.

Then Friday, September 17, PT MHU submitted a report on the alleged illegal mining to the Loa Kulu Police. On the same day, at around 22.00 WITA, the MHU Team led by Samsir, together with the Police from the Loa Kulu Police Station conducted an ambush at the scene.

During the raid, it was found that someone was dredging coal using heavy equipment in the form of a CAT Excavator type 320 D unit.

Based on information from the suspect at the crime scene (TKP), he said, the activity was carried out to take coal, even though they did not have a permit.

"Then we asked the suspect to come to the Loa Kulu Police for further questioning. On Saturday morning, the Loa Kulu Police took the Investigation Report (BAP) of Mr Samsir from the MHU and the suspect," he said.

After conducting the BAP, the Loa Kulu Police together with the MHU Team and the Loa Kulu Sub-district returned to conduct an examination at the TKP, then MHU submitted the case to the Sector Police for further processing.

"The suspect faces up to five years in prison, in accordance with Article 158 of the 2020 Minerba Law. The evidence that we have secured is an excavator unit in a usable condition," said Gandha.