November 9, 2025 | 07:16 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Illegal mining activities are still prevalent in the vicinity of Nusantara Capital City (IKN) in East Kalimantan. One of the areas being mined is the Bukit Soeharto Conservation Forest (Tahura).
The Police Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation, Brigadier General Mohamad Irhamni, stated that the police have found several illegal mining locations in the Bukit Soeharto area. "We have checked several mining points," Irhamni said on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
According to Irhamni, the illegal mining area in the Bukit Soeharto region spans hundreds of hectares. 'Based on our field checks, the open mining areas they have created cover approximately 300 hectares,' Irhamni said during a press conference.
Irhamni revealed that the police found around four thousand containers filled with the results of illegal mining. "The results of this illegal mining are being sent to Surabaya," Irhamni informed the reporters.
The thousands of containers from the illegal mining in Bukit Soeharto are estimated to have a total value reaching tens of billions of rupiah. "If we calculate the value, these four thousand containers are worth approximately Rp80 billion," Irhamni explained.
Meanwhile, according to Irhamni, the turnover of money from these illegal mining activities could reach hundreds of billions of rupiah. "Based on our estimates, the money involved in this activity amounts to approximately Rp100 billion," Irhamni stated.
The police have arrested five suspects involved in this illegal mining activity and have designated them as suspects. "We have apprehended 5 suspects in 4 police reports," Irhamni said on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
The five perpetrators include M, who acts as the funder and seller of coal sacks, as well as CH, responsible for procuring documents for the illegal coal trading transactions. MR is the buyer and collector of coal sacks. YY and AM purchase coal sacks.
Irhamni mentioned that these illegal mining perpetrators are currently undergoing legal proceedings for their actions. "Two suspects are undergoing trial, while the other three are undergoing case file examinations at the Public Prosecutor's Office," Irhamni stated in Bukit Soeharto, East Kalimantan.
The police have seized several crucial pieces of evidence in this case. Some of the evidence includes about 400 containers filled with mining results, two heavy excavator machines, and various documents related to illegal mining transactions.
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