Finance Minister Suspects Illegal Miners Supplying Gold Smuggling Syndicates

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa suspects the involvement of unlicensed gold mining companies (PETI) in supplying syndicates that smuggle tens of kilograms of gold for export to Hong Kong, China, and Dubai.

“The case is strongly suspected to be linked to PETI (unlicensed gold mining) parties,” Purbaya said during the disclosure of the smuggling of 23.793 kilograms of gold exports worth Rp63 billion at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten, on Thursday.

According to him, the fiscal policies implemented by the government have proven to disrupt the operations of these illegal companies, triggering a surge in gold smuggling activities from within the country.

“Previously, this was not very rampant, but now it is rampant because there are additional incentives for those who take it out without paying,” he said.

However, this has not dampened the Ministry of Finance’s firmness in strengthening enforcement in the export duty sector.

“The authorities will continue to research and investigate who the ‘base’ (main players) are behind this activity,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Director of Certain Crimes at the National Police Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim Polri), Brigadier General Mohammad Irhamni, affirmed the commitment to thoroughly investigate the case of smuggling tens of kilograms of gold.

Irhamni added that the National Police is ready to follow up on potential further criminal acts, both upstream and downstream. However, Customs and Excise is at the forefront of enforcing customs violations.

“As long as there is PETI activity, smuggling networks will continue to modify their modus operandi so that gold can leave Indonesian territory. PETI is confirmed to have a close connection with this smuggling,” he stated.

“Extra security at various strategic exit points such as airports will continue to be tightened through cross-sectoral synergy with the Directorate General of Customs and Excise and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources,” Irhamni said.