Illegal Gold Mining Operation in Padang Aro Sumbar Forest, Officers Find 4 Excavators

The Ministry of Manpower and Employment's Gakkum and Halilintar PKH Task Force officers secured the excavator evidence in an operation to crack down on illegal gold mines in the Padang Aro Forest Area, South Solok Regency, West Sumatra, Sunday (25/1/2026) ANTARA/HO-Kemenhut

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut) together with the Halilintar Task Force for Forest Area Enforcement (Satgas PKH) carried out an illegal gold mining enforcement (PETI) in the Padang Aro Forest Area, South Solok Regency, West Sumatra (Sumbar).

"In the hope that the damage to the forest and environmental areas caused by PETI can be overcome," said Head of the Forestry Law Enforcement Agency (Gakkum) for the Sumatra Region, Hari Novianto, in a statement confirmed from Jakarta, Tuesday, quoted by Antara.

He explained that the target of the operation was all PETI activities that were rampant in Ulu Sungai Batang Hari and the Protected Forest Area in Sangir Regency. The operation was carried out since Saturday, January 24, involving dozens of personnel from the Sumatra Gakkumhut Office, the PKH Task Force and the Kodim/Koramil.

From the operation, four heavy equipment types of excavators were secured in the Lubuk Gadang Production Area and the Protected Forest Area, with one of them being buried in rocks and in a damaged state.

He explained that the four heavy equipment were found in a state of being left and were not working because it was suspected that the operation activities had been known by the perpetrators.

Hari said the team was trying to evacuate and secure the four heavy equipment but was hampered by the refusal of a demo and closure of road access by the people of Jorong Jujutan. However, coordination has been carried out with the South Solok Regency Regional Leadership Coordination Forum to resolve the problem.

Mediation is currently still being carried out by the South Solok Regency Government as the region's caretaker. As of Monday (26/1), access to the Jorong Jujutan road, which is the only access to enter and exit the area, is still blocked by the community so that the team has not been able to evacuate.

Regarding this, Hari reminded that protected forests need to be preserved and managed sustainably because forests serve to protect life support systems such as regulating water management, controlling erosion, maintaining soil fertility and flora-fauna habitats.

With this operation, he explained, the government is committed to preventing ecological disasters that occur due to forest damage. Community support is needed so that forest law enforcement efforts can run effectively. Protecting forests means protecting life.