Police Anti-Corruption Unit Applies Money Laundering Articles to Trace Coal Corruption Proceeds

The Corruption Eradication Corps (Kortas Tipikor) of the Indonesian National Police is investigating alleged corruption in the procurement of coal for a number of Steam-Electric Power Stations (PLTU). The police are also applying articles on money laundering (TPPU) to pursue the assets and trace the flow of funds of the perpetrators in this case. Kortas Tipikor Chief Inspector General Totok Suharyanto revealed that the case relates to the fulfilment of coal supply for the 2018-2026 period. Police discovered alleged irregularities involving several supplier companies. “At the very least, investigators found alleged irregularities in the procurement and fulfilment of coal supplies to the PLTU by several companies involved, PT OBP and PT BRA,” Totok said during a press conference at the Bareskrim Polri building in South Jakarta on Monday (6/7/2026). On the same occasion, the Director of Enforcement at Kortas Tipikor Polri, Brigadier General Robertus Yohanes De Deo, stressed that the application of money laundering articles aims to optimise the recovery of state losses, or asset recovery. He affirmed that his team would trace every flow of funds suspected to originate from the practice. “Investigators will take steps including examining witnesses related to the incident, requesting expert testimony, seizing documents, electronic data, and other evidence related to this case, and tracing the flow of funds and assets suspected to originate from the criminal act,” De Deo stated. In this case, the police are also applying Articles 3, 4, 5, and 10 of Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning the Prevention and Eradication of Money Laundering. This step was taken because of indications that state financial and economic losses are estimated to have reached Rp 5 trillion. “As a result of these actions, in addition to the state financial losses, the economic losses related to the blackouts are indicated to have caused state financial and economic losses of approximately Rp 5 trillion,” De Deo said. “However, regarding this value, we are currently coordinating with the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) to conduct an official investigative audit,” he continued. De Deo detailed that the modus operandi used included the manipulation of coal quality, quantity, and contract pricing. “The modus operandi we found during the investigation includes the manipulation of documents related to the quality of the coal sent or supplied, manipulation of the quantity of coal supplied to the PLTU, and alleged irregularities that resulted in payments or contract prices not matching the actual or real supply conditions,” he explained. This corrupt practice, he continued, is strongly suspected to have caused disruptions to electricity supply in several regions. The police stated that the quality and quantity irregularities contributed to recent blackouts. “These actions or modus operandi are also suspected to have contributed to the disruption of coal supplies, which resulted in blackouts or power outages in several regions of Indonesia, such as parts of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Central Java, East Java, and the Greater Jakarta area,” De Deo explained.