TNI Raids Illegal Gold Mine in Gunung Botak, 16 Chinese Foreign Nationals Detained!

Law enforcement authorities, specifically the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) along with the Maluku Provincial Government, carried out a crackdown on illegal gold mining activities in the Gunung Botak area of Buru Island. The land clearance operation involved an integrated team to halt environmental damage in the region.

The primary task of the integrated team was to clear the land of illegal miners. In addition to evacuating the mining site, searches were conducted in surrounding areas used as temporary residences or basecamps, as well as gold processing locations.

“There is no place in the land of Maluku for wildcat miners,” stated Major General TNI Dody Triwinarto, Commander of the XV/Pattimura Military Regional Command, in a post on the official @kodam_pattimura account, quoted on Monday (4/5/2026).

During the search, the team discovered 16 foreign nationals from China engaged in illegal mining. Officials also found a makeshift hut building used as a cafe for selling alcoholic beverages and practising prostitution near the mining area.

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 the supervision of foreigners, which is deemed still weak in the Buru Island and Maluku regions.

The formation of the integrated team represents an effort by law enforcement and local government to prevent environmental damage and social issues. Furthermore, the crackdown was conducted to maintain security stability and protect the state from illegal mining activities.