Bareskrim: Two illegal gold smuggling groups operating in Indonesia

The Directorate of Special Crimes at the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) has revealed that two groups of illegal gold smugglers are operating in Indonesia, sending the precious metal abroad.

“The key point is that there are two groups operating in Indonesia. One group exports to Dubai, and the second exports to Hong Kong,” said Brigadier General Mohammad Irhamni, Director of Special Crimes at Bareskrim, in Central Jakarta on Friday.

Irhamni said his team is continuing to develop the illegal gold smuggling case. Simultaneously, investigators are preventing suspects detained in Indonesia from leaving the country.

In addition, investigators will trace the suspects’ assets and pursue those who have fled abroad.

“For those who have already managed to escape abroad, we will of course carry out international cooperation activities, either with Interpol or with the Police International Relations Division,” he said.

The Special Crimes Directorate at Bareskrim previously arrested two Indian nationals suspected of smuggling illegal gold to Dubai.

In the course of the investigation, officers also uncovered a house believed to be a processing site for illegal gold, where the metal was melted into powder form and converted into gel to deceive airport officials.

Not only that, investigators at the Special Crimes Directorate also succeeded in uncovering an illegal gold processing workshop whose output was destined for export to Hong Kong.

Additionally, investigators searched a house in the North Jakarta area believed to be the base of a Chinese national with the initials GCZ who smuggled gold to Hong Kong.