Quick Response 110: Police Crack Down on Illegal Gold Mining Disrupting Residents' Worship in Kuansing
Police responded quickly to a report via the 110 call centre regarding illegal gold mining activities (PETI) in Koto Taluk Village, Kuantan Tengah Subdistrict, Kuansing Regency. The illegal gold mining operation was reported to be disturbing the peace of residents during worship.
Kuansing Police Chief AKBP Hidayat Permana stated that the crackdown was carried out on Wednesday, 8 April 2026, after receiving a report from the public through the 110 call centre. In the report, residents complained about the illegal mining activities using setingkai, which produced loud noises.
“We received a report from the public via 110 who felt disturbed by the loud sounds from the PETI raft equipment that disrupted worship,” said AKBP Hidayat in his statement on Thursday (9/4/2026).
The Police Chief then followed up on the report by deploying on-duty personnel from the Kuansing Police Resort and the Kuantan Subdistrict Police Station. However, when the personnel arrived at the location, the setingkai was no longer operating.
“When the personnel arrived at the location, they found two units of PETI-type setingkai rafts that were no longer operational and had their engines dismantled, and one unit of PETI that had just finished operating in a pond in Koto Taluk Village,” he explained.
The perpetrators fled when the police arrived at the location. The police then destroyed the PETI raft equipment by burning it.
“For the evidence, consisting of three PETI raft units, we destroyed them by burning as a deterrent effect,” he explained.
The Police Chief stated that the crackdown demonstrates the commitment of the Kuansing Police Resort and its subdistrict stations in taking action against illegal gold mining perpetrators. This also aligns with the Green Policing programme initiated by Riau Police Chief Irjen Pol Herry Heryawan.
In addition to law enforcement, the Kuansing Police Resort and its subdistrict stations continue to intensify education for the public to avoid conducting illegal mining.