Police Investigate Illegal Gold Mining Case Worth Rp 25.9 Trillion, Three Named as Suspects
The Special Economic Crime Directorate (Dittipideksus) of the National Police (Polri) Bareskrim has uncovered an illegal gold mining processing case. Bareskrim is also investigating money laundering offences (TPPU) related to this case.
Brigadier General Ade Safri Simanjuntak, Director of the Special Economic Crime Directorate at Bareskrim Polri, stated that the case disclosure was based on an analysis report from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK).
“Suspicious transactions relating to domestic gold commerce conducted by gold shops and trading activities by gold refining companies exporting gold obtained from unlicensed mining (PETI) or illegal mining during the 2019-2025 period,” Ade Safri said on Thursday (12 March 2026).
The illegal mining operations were conducted in West Kalimantan, West Papua, and other locations. Several cases have already received final legal determinations from the State Court (PN) in Pontianak and PN Manokwari.
“The accumulated gold sales transactions allegedly originating from illegal mining during the 2019-2025 period reached Rp 25.9 trillion, comprising gold purchases from illegal mines and sales of some or all amounts to several gold refining companies and export companies,” he said.
Investigators from Dittipideksus Bareskrim Polri conducted raids at five locations, two of which were in Nganjuk Regency—a residential house and Mas Semar jewellery shop. The other three locations were in Surabaya, East Java, comprising one residential house and two gold refining companies.
During the raid on 19-20 February, Bareskrim seized various pieces of evidence including:
Invoice documents, purchase orders, delivery notes, sales transaction records, and electronic evidence;
Gold in various jewellery forms with a total weight of 8.16 kilograms;
Gold in bar form with a total weight of approximately 51.3 kilograms, estimated to be worth around Rp 150 billion;
Cash totalling Rp 7.13 billion, comprising Indonesian Rupiah Rp 6.177 billion and USD 60,000 (approximately Rp 960 million).
Investigators conducted a case conference and named three suspects: two men with initials TW and BSW, and a woman with initials DW.
Money Laundering Investigation
Bareskrim is also investigating suspected money laundering offences in this case. The money laundering investigation is conducted using a parallel or concurrent approach without awaiting completion of the primary criminal case (semi stand alone money laundering).
“Investigators are also employing a money laundering approach with the concept of ‘semi stand alone money laundering’,” he said.
The Dittipideksus Bareskrim Polri team conducted further raids at three gold refining and sales companies in Surabaya and Sidoarjo Regency on Thursday (12 March). The three companies raided were PT Simba Jaya Utama (SJU), PT Indah Golden Signature (IGS), and PT Suka Jadi Logam (SJL).