12 Chinese Nationals Among Fugitives in Indonesian Illegal Gold Mining Case

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has detailed the roles of suspects in an alleged illegal mining case in the Gunung Botak area, Buru Regency, Maluku. To date, 26 individuals have been named as suspects. Director General of Law Enforcement at the Ministry of ESDM, Rilke Jeffri Huwae, stated that of the 26 suspects, 24 are Chinese nationals and two are Indonesian citizens. Twelve of the Chinese nationals remain at large and have been placed on the wanted list (DPO). “Based on the analysis, case exposé, and expert opinions, the Directorate General of Law Enforcement has named 26 suspects,” he said during a press conference at the Maluku High Prosecutor’s Office. Jeffri explained that the individuals were involved in activities ranging from constructing access roads and processing facilities to establishing a gold refining laboratory at the mining site. Currently, one Indonesian suspect is detained at the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit detention centre, another Indonesian suspect has not been detained, 12 foreign nationals are detained at the Ambon detention centre, while the remaining 12 foreign nationals are outside Indonesian jurisdiction and have been declared fugitives. “The suspects were named after investigators upgraded the case status on 3 April 2026 and obtained sufficient evidence based on the investigation results, information gathering, and case exposés held on 22 May and 22 June 2026,” he added. During the law enforcement process, the investigation team sealed and confiscated evidence at several locations, including Gunung Botak, Namlea City, Ambon, and Jakarta. The suspects are charged under Article 158 of the Mineral and Coal Mining Law, which carries penalties for unlicensed mining activities and land clearing in protected forest areas. The Civil Servant Investigators (PPNS) and the Supervisory and Coordination Corps are currently completing the case files for prosecution. “This investigation will continue to be developed as long as new facts related to the case emerge,” Jeffri concluded. Meanwhile, Maluku Regional Secretary Sadali Ie expressed support for the ongoing legal process regarding the illegal mining case. He noted that the handling of the case at Gunung Botak is supported by regulations issued by the Governor of Maluku. “We thank the Directorate General of Law Enforcement at the Ministry of ESDM for conducting the investigation and naming several individuals as suspects,” he said. He expressed hope that eradicating the illegal gold mining at Gunung Botak would positively impact the local community and boost Maluku’s economic growth, particularly by increasing the province’s locally-generated revenue.