Mataram, indomaritim.com – A 36-ton shipment of gold concentrate seized by Indonesia’s Navy at Tanjungwangi Port in Banyuwangi, East Java, was traced to suspected illegal mining on Sumbawa Island, a naval intelligence officer said.
“Our investigation showed that the concentrate came from Sumbawa,” said Navy Major Muhammad Bono, an intelligence officer at Mataram Naval Base, in Mataram, the capital of West Nusa Tenggara Province, on Thursday.
However, Bono said he did not know the exact location of the mine that produced the concentrate.
“I don’t know that either,” he said as cited from Antara News Agency
He said Mataram Naval Base had previously coordinated with Navy officials in Surabaya, but the talks ended before news emerged of the seizure.
“The seizure in Surabaya was carried out independently by their team,” he said.
The Navy’s Regional Command V in Surabaya had seized 36 tons of gold concentrate at Tanjungwangi Port, Banyuwangi, suspecting the shipment came from illegal mining operations in West Nusa Tenggara.
The Navy estimated the seizure had prevented potential state losses of 5.49 billion rupiah (about US$303,000), based on the estimated gold content of the concentrate. (Hes)
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