Police Arrest 3 Illegal Mineral Mining Perpetrators In West Aceh, 2 Excavators Confiscated

Joint personnel at the illegal mining site in Sungai Mas, West Aceh Regency. BETWEEN THE ANTARA/HO-Bidhumas Polda Aceh

BANDA ACEH - Investigators from the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of the Aceh Police are investigating allegations of illegal mineral mining in the Sungai Mas area, in the interior of West Aceh Regency.

Director of Special Criminal Investigation of the Aceh Police, Kombes Winardy, said the investigation into the alleged illegal mine was based on public reports.

"The public is troubling the existence of illegal mineral mining activities in Geudong Village, Sungai Mas District, West Aceh Regency. Public unrest due to mining damages the environment," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, August 15.

Based on public information, joint personnel from the Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation of the Aceh Police and the West Aceh Police Criminal Investigation Unit investigated.

From the results of the investigation, joint officers found mining activities in Geudong Village without the production operation mining business permit (IUP-OP) on Monday (14/8).

At the mine site, joint officers arrested three perpetrators and confiscated two heavy equipment in the form of excavators. The three perpetrators had the initials MT (33), AA (24), and MY (25).

"Based on these findings, the team immediately stopped mining activities and arrested three suspected perpetrators and secured two heavy equipment," said Winardy.

Kombes Winardy said the perpetrator and the evidence were brought to the Aceh Police Headquarters in Banda Aceh for further investigation.

The three perpetrators are suspected of violating Article 158 of Law Number 3 of 2020 concerning amendments to Law Number 4 of 2009 concerning minerals and coal in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code.