Confiscating Illegal Mining Excavators In South Aceh, Police Examine Witnesses

The Aceh Police Team together with two suspected perpetrators and heavy equipment that were secured at an illegal elephant rock mining in South Aceh Regency. ANTARA/HO-Bidhumas Polda Aceh

The Aceh Police confiscated a unit of heavy equipment used to mine elephant stones illegally in South Aceh Regency.

Director of the Special Criminal Investigation of the Aceh Police, Kombes Pol Winardy, said that apart from confiscating heavy equipment, the team also examined a number of witnesses suspected of being involved in the illegal mine.

"The illegal elephant rock excavation mine is located in Mount Kapur, Central Trumon District, South Aceh Regency. The heavy equipment seized by the excavator type. Some people are still being questioned regarding their involvement in the mining," he said in Banda Aceh, Monday, November 20, confiscated by Antara.

Winardy said the disclosure of the illegal mine began with public information on Thursday, November 17. The public reported concerns regarding the rampant practice of mining elephant stones without permission in the South Aceh Regency area.

"The public is restless about the illegal mining practice because it has the potential to damage the environment. This environmental damage certainly has a negative impact on the community, such as landslides," said Winardy.

Based on this information, said Winardy, the Unit I Sub-Directorate IV team for Certain Crimes (Tipiter) of the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate investigated it. From the results of the investigation, the team found that a unit of heavy equipment type excavator was mining.

The team examined the elephant's stone land mining permit. However, a number of people who were at the mine site could not show any related documents.

Winardy said that the police immediately confiscated heavy equipment and secured several people suspected of being involved in the mining.

"We urge the public to support the prosecution of illegal mines. These actions are to save the environment from illegal mining. Mining is carried out without permission to have a negative impact on the environment, including flooding," said Winardy.