South Sumatra Police arrest two drivers for illegal coal transport
Palembang (ANTARA) - The South Sumatra Regional Police (Polda Sumsel) arrested two truck drivers transporting coal illegally without valid licensing documents on Jalan Lintas Sumatera (Jalintim), Ogan Komering Ulu Regency (OKU).
Public Relations Head of the South Sumatra Police, Kombes Pol Nandang Mu’min Wijaya, in Palembang, said on Friday that the operation was conducted by Sub-Directorate IV of the Criminal Investigation Directorate (Ditreskrimsus) of Polda Sumsel after receiving information about the movement of illegal coal transport passing along Jalintim, OKU Regency, on Wednesday (4 March) at 01:30 WIB.
The two drivers arrested were A.S., the driver of a Mitsubishi Fuso truck with registration BG 8767 OK, and T.A., the driver of a Hino truck with registration Z 9810 MK.
From initial examinations, both vehicles were each transporting around 40 tonnes of coal, bringing the total seized cargo to around 80 tonnes, he said.
Preliminary findings indicate the coal is suspected to originate from an illegal stockpile known as the Stokpile RBA in Keban Agung Village, Lawang Kidul District, Muara Enim Regency, which is believed to lack a valid Mining Business Licence (IUP).
According to the suspects, A.S. claimed to have transported coal about ten times from the Muara Enim area under the orders of a person identified as C.S. alias A., described as the director of the transport company.
Meanwhile, T.A. said he had transported more than five times under the orders of a person identified as F.
To mislead officers, Nandang said, the perpetrators used transport jalan documents in the names of different companies, including PT Lentera Kurnia Abadi and PT Tubaba Jaya Putra Coal.
“In each journey, suspect T.A. said he received a transport fee of Rp13 million, destined for Cilegon Timur, Banten Province,” he said.
Police are currently continuing the investigation to uncover the network involved, including the owner of the stockpile, the person issuing the transport orders, the vehicle owners, and the coal recipients at the destination area.
In the case, police also seized evidence including two heavy trucks carrying around 80 tonnes of raw coal, vehicle journey documents, suspects’ mobile phones, and related vehicle documents.
According to him, the two suspects are charged under Article 158 of Law No. 3 of 2020 on Mineral and Coal Mining, with penalties of up to five years’ imprisonment and fines up to Rp100 billion.