Forestry Ministry Exposes Illegal Land Clearing in UGM Educational Forest, Four Named as Suspects
The Ministry of Forestry, through its Law Enforcement Directorate General for the Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara region, conducted a joint operation against forestry crimes in the Special Purpose Forest Area (KHDTK) Diklathut UGM, an educational forest managed by Gadjah Mada University in Pitu District, Ngawi Regency, East Java. The operation involved the East Java Police, the Mobile Brigade Corps (Brimob), and the East Java High Prosecutor’s Office.
During the operation, the team detained seven individuals for questioning, including a village secretary, and seized two excavators and two dump trucks. Following a case review, investigators named four of the individuals as suspects, two from each of the two illegal clearing sites.
Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, stated that the enforcement action at the UGM educational forest was an effort to uphold legal certainty over forest areas. “Illegal occupation of forest areas often progresses gradually, starting from land cultivation, plantation development, access road construction, use of heavy machinery, transportation of produce, until the area is treated as if it can be controlled. This pattern must be broken from the outset, especially in a KHDTK which serves as a space for education, training, research, and field learning for students, future foresters, researchers, and parties involved in developing Indonesia’s forest management,” Januanto said on Monday.
Januanto also expressed appreciation to the public for providing initial information regarding heavy machinery activity within the forest area. “Public information serves as an early warning before damage becomes widespread. Forest protection cannot rely solely on officers. The state requires the concern of citizens, area managers, local governments, the education sector, and all elements of society. The KHDTK must become a space for legitimate and beneficial public involvement, not a space controlled through illegal activities, heavy machinery, transportation, and logistics without permits,” he added.
The operation began with public reports of heavy machinery activity inside the forest area. The information was followed up by the regional law enforcement office through field data and information collection. Initial investigations revealed land clearing and access road construction using two excavators at two different locations, suspected to be connected to the opening of access to illegal sugarcane plantations within the UGM educational forest.
After coordinating with the East Java High Prosecutor’s Office, the East Java Police supervisory unit, and the Brimob, the joint operations team conducted enforcement at the two locations inside the KHDTK on Friday, 19 June 2026. At the first location in Pitu Village, Pitu District, Ngawi Regency, the team detained four people. Following the case review, investigators named two suspects: YM, suspected of acting as the financier and supervisor of the activities, and S, suspected of being responsible for the heavy machinery operations on site. The other two individuals, involved in transportation using dump trucks, are still under investigation for their connections. The team also seized two dump trucks and one excavator at this site. At the second location in Dumplengan Village, Pitu District, Ngawi Regency, the team detained three people. After the case review, investigators named two suspects: M, the Secretary of Ngeblak Village, suspected of acting as supervisor and financier, and JM, suspected of being responsible for the heavy machinery operations on site. The third individual is still being investigated for their role in logistical support and field operations. One excavator was seized at this location.
Investigators are probing the interconnected roles of the parties involved in the illegal use of the forest area, ranging from financing, supervision, and control of heavy machinery to transportation support and parties suspected of receiving or benefiting from the produce of the illegal sugarcane plantations within the forest area. Following the enforcement action, the team regained control of the portion of the forest area that had been cleared and worked on using heavy machinery. The two excavators were deposited at the Class II Rupbasan in Mojokerto through the Mojokerto District Attorney’s Office. To strengthen the evidence, investigators are coordinating with the Forest Area Stabilisation Centre (BPKH) Region XI Yogyakarta for expert testimony on the area’s status and location certainty, as well as with the East Java Police supervisory unit for case development.
The perpetrators are charged under Article 78 paragraph (3) in conjunction with Article 50 paragraph (2) letter a of Law Number 41 of 1999 on Forestry, as amended by Article 36 number 19 and number 17 of Law Number 6 of 2023 on the Stipulation of Government Regulation in Lieu of Law Number 2 of 2022 on Job Creation into Law, and/or Article 92 paragraph (1) letter a in conjunction with Article 17 paragraph (2) letter a of Law Number 18 of 2013 on the Prevention and Eradication of Forest Destruction, as amended by Article 37 number 16 and number 51 of Law Number 6 of 2023. These provisions prohibit the unauthorised working, use, and/or occupation of forest areas, as well as the bringing of heavy machinery and/or transportation of plantation produce within forest areas without permits. The criminal penalties include a maximum imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum fine of Rp7.5 billion, and/or a maximum imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum fine of Rp5 billion.
Head of the Forestry Law Enforcement Office for the Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara Region, Aswin Bangun, stressed that this operation serves as an entry point to trace the involvement of other actors.