24 Chinese Nationals Named Suspects in Illegal Gold Mining on Mount Botak
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has named 26 people as suspects in a case of alleged illegal mining (PETI) in the Mount Botak area, Buru Regency, Maluku. Of the suspects, 24 are foreign nationals from China and the remaining two are Indonesian citizens.
The action was taken through the Directorate General of Law Enforcement (Ditjen Gakkum) of the ESDM together with the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Indonesian National Police as a firm measure to improve national mining governance.
Director General of Law Enforcement at the Ministry of ESDM, Rilke Jeffri Huwae, explained the suspects’ roles in supporting the illegal gold mining operation. He stated that the individuals were involved in building access roads, processing facilities, and establishing a gold refining laboratory at the mining site.
"Based on the analysis that has been conducted and opinions heard from expert assessments, the Directorate General of Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has named 26 suspects," he said at a press conference at the Maluku High Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday.
Currently, one Indonesian suspect is detained at the Bareskrim detention centre, one Indonesian suspect has not yet been detained, 12 foreign nationals are detained at the Ambon detention centre, while 12 other foreign nationals are outside Indonesian jurisdiction and have been placed on a wanted list.
"The naming of suspects was carried out after investigators upgraded the investigation status on 3 April 2026 and obtained sufficient evidence based on investigation results, information gathering, and case reviews held on 22 May and 22 June 2026," he added.
During the law enforcement process, the investigation team also sealed and seized evidence at several locations, including Mount Botak, Namlea City, Ambon, and Jakarta. The suspects are charged under Article 158 of the Mineral and Coal Mining Law, which carries criminal penalties related to mining activities without a permit and land clearing in protected forest areas.
"Currently, Civil Servant Investigators from Ditjen Gakkum together with the supervisory coordination unit are completing the case files so that prosecution can be carried out by the Public Prosecutor. This investigation process will continue to be developed as long as new facts related to the case emerge," Jeffri concluded.
Meanwhile, Maluku Regional Secretary Sadali Ie stated that his party supports the ongoing legal process for the illegal mining case in the region. He said the handling of the PETI case on Mount Botak is supported by regulations issued by the Governor of Maluku.
"We thank the Director General of Law Enforcement at the Ministry of ESDM for carrying out the inquiry and investigation, which indicated criminal acts and led to several people being named as suspects," he said on the same occasion.
He expressed hope that eradicating the Mount Botak gold PETI would have a positive impact on the local community and boost Maluku’s economic growth. "On the other hand, it is about encouraging economic growth by increasing the locally generated revenue of Maluku province," he stressed.