Babel government determined to eradicate tin smuggling

The Bangka Belitung government, together with the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the National Police, is determined to eradicate the smuggling of tin ore, which causes enormous losses to the state.

Tanjungpandan (ANTARA) - The Governor of the Bangka Belitung Islands, Hidayat Arsani, affirmed that the government, together with the TNI and the National Police, is committed to eradicating tin ore smuggling that harms the state.

“The Bangka Belitung government, together with the TNI and the National Police, is determined to eradicate tin ore smuggling, which causes enormous losses to the state,” said Hidayat in Tanjungpandan on Wednesday.

The statement was made in response to the success of a joint Indonesian Navy team in foiling the smuggling of 75.7 tonnes of illegal tin sand suspected of being sent to Malaysia via sea routes.

Hidayat said that eradicating tin ore smuggling is a commitment of the regional government together with law enforcement officials.

“I extend my great appreciation and gratitude to the joint Indonesian Navy team that successfully foiled the smuggling of 75.7 tonnes of illegal tin sand in Bumi Serumpun Sebalai,” he said.

“Although we face various limitations in the field, we are strengthening supervision by optimising internal networks from the neighbourhood unit (RT) and community unit (RW) levels up to the Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP),” he said.

Hidayat said that preventing tin smuggling needs to be carried out in an integrated manner by involving the community, especially fishermen who operate in the waters.

“Fishermen play an important role in helping with supervision because tin smuggling activities are known to often take place via sea routes,” he said.

“The practice of tin smuggling is very detrimental to the state and keeps our people poor, while neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia, which are among the recipients of the tin, enjoy large profits,” he said.

Previously, a joint Indonesian Navy team foiled the suspected smuggling of 75.7 tonnes of illegal tin sand worth around Rp76.04 billion from the waters of East Belitung, which was suspected of being sent to Malaysia.