Energy Ministry Traces Financiers and Upstream Sources of Gold Smuggling Case
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has affirmed its commitment to thoroughly dismantling illegal gold export smuggling practices. The investigation will be conducted from upstream to downstream in order to sever the distribution chain of the illegal commodity.
This step was taken following the success of the Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) of the Ministry of Finance in foiling a series of gold smuggling attempts at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Banten. Secretary of the Directorate General of Law Enforcement at the Ministry of ESDM, Sahid Junaidi, stated that law enforcement would focus on the key actors behind the activity.
During a press conference at the DJBC Head Office in Jakarta on Tuesday (18/8), Sahid explained that the investigation includes tracing the main financiers. Given that the mining sector is a capital-intensive industry, the involvement of funding backers is a crucial point in the investigation.
“We at the Ministry of ESDM understand that mining is capital-intensive. Therefore, in ESDM law enforcement, we will delve deeper into the financiers,” said Sahid.
In addition to financiers, the government will examine the legality aspects of mining activities in depth. This includes the licensing of mining business permits and processing permits.
The law enforcement process will be linked to Article 161 of Law Number 3 of 2020 concerning Amendments to Law Number 4 of 2009 on Mineral and Coal Mining (Minerba). The regulation stipulates criminal sanctions for any person or legal entity that accommodates, transports, processes, or sells mining products that do not originate from official permit holders.
“We link it to the mining and also the processing permits. So, we are looking at it from the legality side of the mining business permits,” Sahid added.
The data synchronisation effort between ESDM and Customs strengthens supervision at international exit points. Based on the latest data, DJBC again foiled the export of cast bar gold weighing 22.317 kilograms at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta Airport because it was not accompanied by customs documents.
Previously, in the period of 10-11 August 2026, officers also secured 23.793 kg of gold with a market value reaching Rp63 billion. Cumulatively, from January to August 2026, Customs has foiled 32 cases of illegal gold export smuggling with a total value reaching Rp846.94 billion.
The upstream investigation is expected to identify illegal mining locations that serve as the source of smuggled gold, so that enforcement does not stop at couriers at the airport but extends to the production points.
He emphasised that Indonesia must no longer export raw or semi-finished gold without providing added value for the domestic economy.