Pontianak Police Reluctant To Disburse The Origin And Number Of Weight 43 Illegal Gold Batang Confiscated 4 Suspects

Head of Criminal Investigation Unit AKP Wawan Darmawan showed evidence that his party had confiscated in the alleged case of illegal gold trading in West Kalimantan (ANTARA/HO-Jessica Helena Wuysang)

The Pontianak City Police (Polresta) uncovered a network of illegal gold trading and arrested four suspects with a total of 43 illegal gold sticks of evidence.

"The disclosure of this case stems from the arrest of a suspected drug case by the Narcotics Unit, but when further searches were carried out, it was found that gold bullion was thought to have come from an illegal mine," said Pontianak Police Chief through the Head of Criminal Investigation Unit AKP Wawan Darmawan in a press statement in Pontianak, Monday.

Initially, he said, the case was indeed from the arrest of a narcotics case, but when they were searched, three gold sticks were found, then the officers developed the case and finally found an additional 43 gold sticks in another location.

Overall, the police determined two police reports (LP) in this case, namely LP Number 17 with evidence of three gold sticks, and LP Number 18 with 43 gold sticks, which is estimated to weigh a total of tens of kilograms.

During a search of one of the shophouses in the Perdana Square area, the police also secured transaction aids such as gold-grade counters, gold-grade tables, transaction recap books, and X-ray devices. The search was carried out at around 14.00 WIB and all evidence is now being secured at the Pontianak Police Headquarters.

The four suspects who were arrested consisted of one woman and three men. Each with the initials A (LP 17), and D, SL, and SR (LP 18). One of the female suspects is currently being taken to the hospital because he is sick, while the other three are being held at the Pontianak Police detention center.

"From the initial examination, D acted as the admin of the transaction record, SR as the operator, while A and SL were couriers transporting gold. They have all been named suspects," said Wawan.

Regarding the origin of gold, the police suspect that the results came from illegal mining activities in the West Kalimantan region.

However, Wawan said the exact source and involvement of other parties were still under investigation because they could interfere with the case development process.

"The suspects claim to be not owners, only workers. We are still hunting for the gold owner with the initials L who is suspected of being the employer in this network," he said.

The police apply Article 161 of Law Number 3 of 2020 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining (Minerba), with criminal threats on suspicion of buying and controlling mining products without official permits.

The Pontianak Police continue to develop this case and open the possibility of additional suspects and revealing other locations that are illegal gold distribution points.

The Pontianak Police have not yet conveyed the amount of gold weight that has been secured. Based on the amount of evidence shown, it is estimated that the amount of gold is more than 20 kg.