The Smuggling Of 20 Tons Of Tin Sand From Babel To Thailand Is Intercepted By Officers In Natuna

Batam Customs and Excise officers checked the evidence of lead sand from Bangka Belitung which was suspected of being smuggled into Thailand through Natuna waters. BETWEEN ANTARA/HO-Bea Excise Batam.

JAKARTA - Batam Customs and Excise in the Riau Islands (Kapri) thwarted the smuggling of 20 tons of tin sand from Bangka Belitung which was transported by motorboat KM Maju Develops through Natuna Waters to Thailand.

Batam Customs Head Zaky Firmansyah said the smuggling violated the provisions of Law Number 17 of 2006 concerning Customs, as well as threatened the management of national strategic mineral resources.

"The results of the initial inspection show that this ship is planned to carry cargo abroad, to be precise to Thailand, without going through legal export procedures," he said in a confirmed statement in Batam, Monday, which was confiscated by Antara.

He explained that the chronology of the disclosure of this case began with information regarding the existence of a ship suspected of transporting tin sand from Bangka Belitung to outside the area without valid documents on Wednesday (27/8) in the early hours of the morning.

Following up on this information, Zaky ordered his staff to carry out marine patrols.

The patrol boat BC 20007 moved from the Tanjung Uncang Customs Pier to the route estimated to be crossed by the target ship. Customs and Excise investigators carried out monitoring and intercepts, until they managed to secure KM Maju Developing along with its cargo.

Then, he said, the KM Maju Development ship was escorted to the Tanjung Uncang Customs Pier with escort from the BC 7005 ship for further inspection. This process takes several days to travel from Natuna waters to Batam waters.

"In addition to tin sand, officers also took action against transportation facilities and secured drugs and five crew members for the investigation process," he said.

Zaky added that sand smuggling does not harm state revenues and hinders the government's efforts to optimize mineral resources to strengthen domestic industries and national energy security.

According to him, tin sand is a commodity of high value in the global market. It should be managed through a legal and transparent route to provide the greatest benefit to the national economy.

For this reason, he continued, Batam Customs and Excise is committed to protecting the Batam area and the surrounding waters are not used as a route for the smuggling of Indonesia's natural resources.

"We continue to improve monitoring of marine patrols, strengthen cooperation with law enforcement officials, and optimize the intelligence function to close all modes and loopholes of smuggling," said Zaky.