Bareskrim uncovers illegal gold smuggling to Hong Kong using body-strapping method

The Directorate of Special Economic Crimes (Dittipidter) of the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) has uncovered a syndicate smuggling illegal gold to Hong Kong using a method known as body strapping, in which gold is attached to the body.

Director of Special Economic Crimes at Bareskrim, Brigadier General Mohammad Irhamni, said in a statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday that investigators arrested a suspect with the initials R on Tuesday morning (25/8).

“The arrest of suspect R was made by investigators upon his arrival from Japan at Soekarno-Hatta Airport,” he said.

Based on the examination, R pointed to a house in the Penjaringan area of North Jakarta, which is suspected of being the site of illegal gold buying and selling transactions.

Investigators then searched the house on Tuesday evening (25/8).

Irhamni said the house is believed to be the base of a Chinese national with the initials GCZ.

“GCZ is a Chinese national who received and smuggled the gold to Hong Kong,” he said.

According to him, the house is also suspected of being the location where illegal gold was refined and processed before being smuggled to Hong Kong by being attached to the entire body.

During the search, investigators seized a number of pieces of equipment believed to have been used for refining and processing gold.

Investigators also seized cash as well as a number of transaction documents and agreements that will be used to trace the network’s financial flows.

“From these transaction documents, we will try to coordinate with PPATK to trace their financial transactions and where their assets are stored,” he said.

Bareskrim will coordinate with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) to trace financial transactions and the whereabouts of assets suspected of being linked to the illegal activity.

Irhamni said GCZ is believed to have fled abroad. Investigators will pursue him while also developing the case to uncover other parties suspected of being involved in the network.

“We will carry out the pursuit and seizure process in order to recover assets from the sale of illegal gold or the smuggling of illegal gold to Hong Kong,” he said.