Chinese National Charged with Masterminding Illegal Gold Mine in Ketapang

Chinese national Liu Xiaodong has been charged with the criminal offences of forcibly seizing a gold mine and possessing explosives without a permit in the Ketapang area of West Kalimantan.

Public Prosecutor Nafathony Batistuta from the Ketapang District Prosecutor’s Office said the actions were carried out by Liu Xiaodong from mid to late 2023 at a gold mining plant owned by PT Sultan Rafli Mandiri (SRM) in Nanga Kelampai, Tumbang Titi, Ketapang.

The prosecutor said the defendant, together with a group of others, expelled PT SRM employees and took over the plant site in the area.

Subsequently, the defendant claimed to be the new head of the company and ordered workers to process gold-bearing rock (ore) without the authorisation of the rightful owner.

“The defendant Liu Xiaodong ordered the workers to process gold-bearing rock,” the prosecutor said whilst reading out the charges on Thursday, 19 February.

In addition, the prosecutor stated that the defendant ordered workers to break the locks on the company warehouse and seize officially registered explosives that had previously been purchased from PT Pindad in 2021 under police authorisation.

The defendant then removed a number of items from the warehouse, including approximately 50,000 kilogrammes of power gel dynamite, 1,900 electric detonators, and 26,000 non-electric detonators.

The prosecutor said these explosives were subsequently used for gold mining activities, despite the defendant having no affiliation with PT SRM nor any authority to use such materials.

The prosecution also charged Liu Xiaodong with the theft of electricity supplied through a substation and transformer by PLN UP3 Ketapang.

For his actions, the prosecutor stated that the losses caused by Liu Xiaodong amounted to Rp4 billion, comprising Rp3.5 billion in stolen explosives and Rp451 million in electricity usage.

The defendant has been charged under Article 306 of the Criminal Code as amended by Law No. 1 of 2026, in conjunction with Article 362 of the Criminal Code and Article 477 paragraph (1) letters f and g of the Criminal Code.