Having Eated Casualties, 157 Illegal Crude Oil Mining Wells In Muba Were Closed

Illegal crude wells that exploded in Musi Banyuasin Regency, South Sumatra (Photo via ANTARA/HO-Muba Police)

MUSI BANYUASIN - A total of 157 illegal crude mining wells were closed by the Musi Banyuasin Resort Police (Muba), South Sumatra. The closure of this illegal well has been going on since Friday, June 16.

Hundreds of illegal crude oil mining wells spread across several villages in Batang Hari Leko District. Muba Police officers cooperate with TNI personnel, the Health Service, Firefighters, and the Muba Regency Environmental Service.

Hundreds of these wells were closed by being buried again using heavy equipment and a police line was installed as a sign that there should no longer be activity in the area.

He explained that based on findings in the field, it was known that hundreds of these wells were old wells from mining companies that were no longer produced.

Even though they have been repeatedly warned by police officers, he said, local people are again mining using traditional equipment and away from safety safety standards.

"Until finally the oil well exploded violently, releasing a fire into the air on Monday, June 12," said Musi Banyuasin Police Chief (Kapolres) AKBP Siswandi, as reported by Antara.

Siswandi said that due to the fire explosion of the well, two residents suffered serious burns, each with the initials NSI and HMI.

The police stated that the NSI victim died moments after the incident. Meanwhile, the HMI victim is still undergoing intensive treatment at the hospital in critical condition.

In addition to closing, he explained, joint officers confiscated 80 motorbikes used as mining pipe pullers, 38 generators, and 63 water pump machines at that location.

He said the financier behind the oil well mining activity is currently still being hunted by personnel from the Muba Resort Police Criminal Investigation Unit accompanied by the Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation of the South Sumatra Regional Police.

Siswandi ensured that for his actions, the perpetrators could be charged with Article 40 of the 7th Government Regulation in Lieu of Law Number 2 of 2022 concerning Job Creation Juncto Article 188 of the Criminal Code with the threat of imprisonment for six years and a fine of Rp. 60 billion.

"All efforts to take action on the case are carried out as instructed by the Head of the South Sumatra Regional Police Inspector General of Police Albertus R Wibowo in various coordination meetings held," he said.