Bareskrim Seizes Illegal Gold Mining Plant Owned by PT Simba Jaya

The Directorate of Special Economic Crimes (Dittipideksus) of Bareskrim Polri has seized a factory belonging to PT Simba Jaya Utama in connection with an illegal gold mining case. The factory was used to process and purify gold from illegal mining operations. “Investigators have carried out the seizure of the building or factory, processing and refining machinery, along with inventory items belonging to PT Simba Jaya Utama, which, based on investigation findings, is strongly suspected of being used as a facility by the suspect to commit or facilitate the criminal acts that occurred,” said Dirtipideksus Bareskrim Polri Brigadier General Ade Safri Simanjuntak to reporters on Thursday (11/6/2026). “In the form of jointly receiving, processing, refining, and selling gold originating from illegal mining, as well as money laundering offences,” he added. The illegal mining activities took place in West Kalimantan, West Papua, and other locations. Several of these cases have already received legally binding rulings from the Pontianak District Court and the Manokwari District Court. The accumulated value of gold purchase and sale transactions suspected to have originated from illegal mining during the 2019-2025 period reached Rp 25.9 trillion. Ade Safri stressed that the state will not provide the slightest room for illegal mining practices, which he said certainly have the potential to result in losses to the environment and state assets. “Investigators are also collaborating with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) and other ministries/institutions in the context of asset tracing in uncovering this case,” he said. He stated that this law enforcement action reflects the National Police’s commitment to optimising enforcement efforts against all forms of illegal mining activities involving all parties in the illegal mining crime chain. “Starting from miners, collectors (receivers), to parties disguising funds in money laundering offences,” he said. “As a form of the National Police’s efforts to prevent losses to state assets, state revenue, and state finances, and to ensure that Indonesia’s natural resources can be managed for the welfare and prosperity of all Indonesian people,” he added. Five individuals have been named as suspects in this case: DHB, Director of PT Simba Jaya Utama from 13 August 2021 to 14 September 2022; VC, Director of PT Simba Jaya Utama from 14 September 2022 to present; as well as TW, DW, and BSW from PT Semar Pertama Emas Mulia. Suspects DHB and VC are charged under Article 161 of Law Number 3 of 2020 on Mineral and Coal Mining, in conjunction with Article 20 letter c and/or Article 21 paragraph (1) and Article 607 paragraph (1) letter a and/or letter b and/or letter c of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code, in conjunction with Article 6 and/or Article 10 of Law Number 8 of 2010 on the Prevention and Eradication of Money Laundering. Dittipideksus Bareskrim investigators searched five locations, two of which were in the Nganjuk Regency area, namely a residence and the Mas Semar shop. The other three locations were in Surabaya, East Java, consisting of one residence and two gold refining companies. During the searches conducted on 19-20 February, Bareskrim seized a number of items of evidence including: invoice documents, order forms, delivery notes, purchase and sale transactions, and electronic evidence; gold in various forms of jewellery with a total weight of 8.16 kg; gold in bullion form with a total weight of around 51.3 kg, estimated to be worth around Rp 150 billion; and cash totalling Rp 7.13 billion, consisting of Rp 6,177,860,000 in rupiah and USD 60,000 (approximately Rp 960 million).