Chinese Foreign Workers Found at Site Where Three Illegal Gold Miners Died in Sumbawa

An illegal gold mine in the Lawang Tua area, Lantung District, Sumbawa Regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), has come under the spotlight after a landslide killed three miners and injured six others. Chinese foreign workers are also suspected to have been operating in the area.

Sumbawa Police Chief AKBP Marieta Dwi Ardhini, through through Head of Public Relations Iptu Zainal Arifin, confirmed the matter. The Chinese nationals present at the mining area hold the status of technicians.

“They are there as technicians,” Zainal said when contacted by detikBali on Tuesday (8/9/2026).

Zainal explained that there had previously been reports or complaints stating that the illegal gold mine was managed by Chinese nationals. However, preliminary investigations found that the operators are all Indonesian citizens.

“The Chinese nationals at the mining site are not the operators. The operators are all Indonesians,” he stressed.

Sumbawa Police assured that all reports and complaints from the public regarding illegal mining activities have been received and will be followed up.

“Several reports received by Sumbawa Police have been handled and responded to,” he concluded.

As previously reported, the landslide occurred at an illegal gold mining site in the Lawang Tua area, Lantung District, Sumbawa Regency, on Saturday evening (5/9/2026). The landslide killed three miners and injured six others.

Following the incident, Sumbawa Police immediately sealed the site and shut down all mining activity. The matter is now under investigation, as the mining operation is believed to lack a community mining permit (IPR).