November 5, 2025 | 10:42 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The head of the Mount Merapi National Park (TNGM), Muhammad Wahyudi, has ensured the recovery of the ecosystem in the affected areas due to illegal sand mining. Park officials have intensified replanting in the most affected area, namely Block Sentong, Dukun Sub-district, Magelang Regency, Indonesia.
"There should not be any sand mining activities in the conservation area. This area plays a crucial role as a habitat for protected wildlife and a water source for the people of Central Java and Yogyakarta," he said in a written statement on Wednesday, November 5, 2025.
The Ministry of Forestry and the Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation (Ditipidter) of the Indonesian National Police previously cracked down on illegal sand mining in 36 points within TNGM. The joint law enforcement operation on November 3 was based on public reports and field observations.
Referring to data from the Indonesian National Police, the land opened due to illegal sand mining reached 312 hectares out of a total area of 6,607 hectares. The Director of Special Criminal Investigation of the Indonesian National Police, Brigadier General Mohammad Irhamni, stated that investigators found 36 points of illegal sand mines and 39 unlicensed sand depots in five sub-districts of Magelang Regency.
"Investigators have examined seven witnessess," said Irhamni at the mining site in the Srumbung Sub-district, Magelang, on Saturday, November 1, 2025.
The Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation of the Indonesian National Police inspecting the location of illegal sand mining on the slopes of Mount Merapi, Srumbung Sub-district, Magelang Regency on Saturday, November 1, 2025. Tempo/Hammam Izzuddin
The National Police have raised the legal status of this case to investigation since the previous week, October 29, 2025. The police are conducting further examinations to determine suspects.
According to Irhamni, illegal sand mining at this location has been ongoing for about two years. Law enforcement was initially hindered by resistance from the miners who are local residents.
The National Police estimated that the turnover from illegal sand mining business on the slopes of Mount Merapi reached Rp3 trillion in the last two years. This figure is an estimate of the sand excavation totaling 21.7 million cubic meters multiplied by the selling price of sand.
Hammam Izzuddin contributed to the writing of this article.
Editor's Choice: 312 Hectares of Mount Merapi National Park Ravaged by Illegal Sand Mining
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