November 2, 2025 | 02:11 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Criminal Investigation Unit of the Indonesian National Police has uncovered an extensive case of illegal sand mining within the Mount Merapi National Park. The area damaged by this illicit activity reached 312 hectares, or nearly five percent of the park's total area of 6,607 hectares.
Director of Specific Criminal Acts, Brigadier General Mohammad Irhamni, stated that investigators found 36 sand mining sites and 39 unauthorized sand depots across five sub-districts in Magelang Regency. "The investigators have already examined seven witnesses," Irhamni confirmed during a visit to one of the mining sites in Srumbung Sub-district, Magelang, on Saturday, November 1, 2025.
Irhamni noted that the investigation began on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. Just two days later, the National Police elevated the case's legal status to an official investigation. He added that police will conduct further examinations to identify and name suspects.
Irhamni and his team visited a crime scene in Ngablak Village, Srumbung, Magelang. This illegal mining location is isolated on a hill, with access roads cutting through local salak plantations.
At the site, five excavator units were found surrounded by police lines. Although the miners' activities had ceased, the traces of excavated material and landslides were still clearly visible across the area.
The perpetrators face charges under Article 158 and/or Article 161 of the Mineral and Coal Mining Law. The maximum penalties include 5 years in prison and a fine of Rp100 billion.
According to Irhamni, the illegal sand mining has been ongoing for approximately two years. He explained that enforcement efforts were initially obstructed by resistance from the local residents involved in the mining. "Therefore, the National Police has taken over handling this major case," he said.
The National Police estimates that the financial turnover from this illegal sand mining operation reached Rp3 trillion over the last two years. Irhamni asserted that this entire figure can be categorized as a state loss because there were no allocations for taxes or benefits for the local community.
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