Garut Regency and West Java ESDM Shut Down Three Illegal Mines in Leles
The Garut Regency Government, together with the West Java Provincial Department of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), has taken decisive action by closing three mining locations in the Leles District, Garut Regency. This closure was implemented after a joint team discovered serious violations, specifically the absence of official licensing documents.
The Regent of Garut, Abdusy Syakur Amin, emphasised that the temporary suspension of operations at these three sites demonstrates the government’s consistency in enforcing regulations. He stated that economic development must not disregard legality and regional order.
“We emphasise the importance of synergy between the regency, provincial, and central governments to ensure that development continues without sacrificing environmental sustainability,” said Abdusy Syakur Amin during a site inspection on Thursday (4/6/2026).
He added that this collaboration aims to realise the vision of Garut as a green and safe region. “This closure is the result of good collaboration. Moving forward, supervision will be more intensive to ensure Garut remains a comfortable region for us all,” he added.
In addition to licensing issues, the Head of the West Java ESDM Department, Bambang Tirtoyuliono, revealed violations of local policies regarding the use of public infrastructure. The three mining sites were found to be using operational vehicles that exceed the load-bearing capacity of public roads.
“The three locations have not complied with the provision that vehicles exceeding the load-bearing capacity of public roads—whether national, provincial, or regency roads—must not be used,” explained Bambang.
Bambang reminded that public roads are community facilities that must be maintained collectively. This firm action is expected to serve as a stern warning to all mining business operators in West Java to be more disciplined in conducting their operations in accordance with technical, social, economic, and environmental aspects.
This step reinforces the commitment of the Garut Regency Government and the West Java Provincial Government to maintaining sustainable development. The government hopes that similar incidents will not recur and that business actors will align their activities with applicable regulations for the broader public interest.