President Prabowo Subianto pledges full-scale action against illegal mining and smuggling that cost Indonesia over Rp300 trillion.
President Prabowo Subianto has declared an all-out war on illegal mining and smuggling across Indonesia, pledging to end decades of resource exploitation that have cost the nation hundreds of trillions of rupiah. The strong statement came as he witnessed the handover of seized assets worth up to Rp7 trillion from illegal tin mining operations in Bangka Belitung.
President’s Commitment to Law Enforcement
During a visit to Pangkal Pinang, Bangka Belitung, on October 6, 2025, President Prabowo oversaw the official handover of state-confiscated assets from illegal mining operations. The assets, valued between Rp6 trillion and Rp7 trillion, were linked to six smelters operating outside legal permits. The ceremony, held at PT Tinindo Internusa, marked one of the largest anti-illegal mining crackdowns in Indonesia’s history.
Prabowo asserted that the move reflects his administration’s firm stance against economic crimes undermining state wealth. “We are determined to eradicate smuggling and illegal mining—everything that violates the law,” he said during the event.
Assets Worth Trillions Recovered
The assets transferred to PT Timah Tbk included a vast list of seized goods from illegal smelting operations. These comprised:
- 108 heavy equipment units
- 99.04 tons of crystallized tin
- 94.47 tons of crude tin blocks
- Over 680,000 kilograms of refined tin metal
- 22 land parcels covering 238,848 square meters
- Six smelter facilities, 53 vehicles, and nearly 200 mining tools
In addition, cash recovered from illegal operators was also deposited into the state treasury.
The Scale of National Loss
Prabowo emphasized that the financial damage from illegal mining, particularly in the tin industry, is staggering. Citing data from the Attorney General’s Office, he revealed that Indonesia has lost approximately Rp300 trillion (around SGD 24 billion) due to unregulated extraction activities between 2015 and 2022.
He added that the figure could climb even higher once the value of rare earth elements—such as monazite—extracted from these sites is fully accounted for. “We’re talking about thousands of tons of rare earth materials that could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars per ton,” Prabowo warned.
Praise for Law Enforcement and Agencies
The president also commended the coordinated efforts of the Attorney General’s Office, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla), and the Directorate General of Customs. Their cooperation led to the swift confiscation of illegal assets and exposure of corruption within the tin trade network.
“This is a proud achievement. Please continue this work—Jaksa Agung, Panglima TNI, Bea Cukai, Bakamla—let’s save our national wealth for our people,” Prabowo urged.
Call for Continued Action
Moving forward, Prabowo expressed his hope that law enforcement would persist in recovering more state assets from corruption and illegal mining networks. He stressed that restoring state control over Indonesia’s mineral resources is essential for ensuring long-term national prosperity and sovereignty.
“The leakage of our nation’s wealth must stop. Every rupiah we save will go back to improving the lives of our citizens,” Prabowo concluded.
Prabowo’s crackdown marks a renewed push for resource governance and law enforcement transparency in Indonesia’s mining sector. The decisive move resonates beyond national borders, underscoring how Southeast Asian nations must protect natural wealth from illicit extraction to strengthen economic independence and regional stability.
Sources: Tirto.id (2025) , CNBC Indonesia (2025)
Keywords: Prabowo Subianto, Illegal Mining, Bangka Belitung, PT Timah, Smelter Seizure, Rare Earth
