Lebak Police Detains a Group of Illegal Miners in TN Gunung Halimun Salak

Lebak Police Chief AKBP Herfio Zaki inspected the two-wheeled vehicle as a result of the crime. ANTARA/Mansur

Lebak - The Lebak Regional Police (Polres) has arrested four suspected illegal miners in the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park (TNGHS) forest area and protected forests, because they could cause ecological damage to the environment and potentially natural disasters.

"We are working together with the National Police Headquarters (Mabes Polri) and the Forest Area Regulation Task Force (PKH) to take action and arrest illegal miners," said Lebak Police Chief AKBP Lebak Herfio Zaki, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, December 29.

Herfiome ensures that the Lebak Police are committed to preserving the TNGHS forest area and protected forest areas so that they do not cause damage caused by unlicensed gold miners (PETI), logging trees and mining exploitation.

According to him, forest damage can cause environmental ecology and can result in natural disasters, such as flash floods and landslides, especially Lebak Regency as the upstream area of Banten Province.

Therefore, the Lebak Police collaborated with the National Police Headquarters and the PKH Task Force to ensure that the TNGHS area and protected forests do not cause forest and environmental damage due to the actions of illegal miners.

In addition, the police also optimize socialization to the local community so as not to cause damage to forests and nature.

"We act firmly against forest destroyers and illegal miners," said Herfio.

Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit (Kasat Reskrim) of the Lebak Police, AKP Wisnu Wicaksana, said his party had detained four illegal miners in Cibeber and Cilograng sub-districts, which are areas of the TNGHS area and protected forests.

The four suspects in natural crimes, including two have been completed and two other suspects are in the investigation process.

The perpetrator was charged with Article 158 of Law Number 3 of 2020 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining, which threatens a prison sentence of up to 5 years and a fine of up to Rp. 100 billion for anyone who mines without a permit (PETI).