PKH Task Force Raids Illegal Gold Mine in Nabire, Dredger Vessel Seized!

The Forest Area Control Task Force (Satgas PKH) has taken action once again. Most recently, the Satgas PKH Halilintar unit conducted an enforcement operation against an unauthorised gold mining site (PETI) spanning 200 hectares in Nabire, Central Papua. The illegal gold mine is located in the forest areas of Wilayah Siriwo and Uwapa, Nabire Regency, Central Papua. “Satgas PKH Halilintar seized 10 heavy machines, 1 dredger vessel, and secured 200 hectares of illegal gold mining,” the Satgas PKH stated on its official Instagram account @satgaspkhofficial on Wednesday (6/5/2026). The enforcement of the unauthorised gold mine was directly led by Brigjen TNI Edwin Apria Candra, Commander of Satgas PKH Halilintar, with support from Kodam XVII/Cendrawasih and Korem 173/Ptraja Vira Braja. “Operators, mine supervisors, and several other involved parties were also secured by Satgas PKH Halilintar,” he emphasised. Gunung Botak, Maluku Previously, law enforcement authorities (APH), in this case the TNI together with the Maluku Provincial Government, conducted an enforcement operation against illegal gold mining activities in the Gunung Botak area on Buru Island. The land clearance operation involved an integrated team to halt environmental damage in the region. The main task of the integrated team was to clear the land of illegal miners. In addition to emptying the mine site, sweeps were also conducted in the surrounding areas used as temporary residences or base camps, as well as gold processing locations. “There is no place in the land of Maluku for wild miners,” said Mayjen TNI Dody Triwinarto, Pangdam XV/Pattimura, in a post on the official account @kodam_pattimura, quoted on Monday (4/5/2026). During the sweeps, the team found 16 foreign nationals from China engaged in illegal mining. Officers also discovered a hut building used as a cafe for selling alcoholic beverages and practising prostitution in the area around the mine. The 16 foreign nationals have now been secured and handed over to immigration authorities for processing in accordance with applicable regulations. These findings also serve as material for evaluating oversight of foreigners, which is deemed still weak in the Buru Island and Maluku regions. The formation of the integrated team is an effort by APH and local government to prevent environmental damage and social issues. Furthermore, the enforcement was carried out to maintain security stability and protect the state from illegal mining activities.