Police Hunt for 15 Chinese Citizens Allegedly Involved in Illegal Mining Camp Fire in NTB

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The police have yet to find the whereabouts of several Chinese citizens post-burning of the gold mining camp in Lenong Batu Montor Village, Sekotong District, West Lombok, NTB, on Saturday, August 10, 2024. 

West Lombok Police Chief AKBP I Komang Sarjana said the Chinese citizens had disappeared after the incident. "The criminal investigation team is still searching for the foreigners since they already disappeared during the midnight of the incident. There was no lamp at the location (of the incident), it was dark,” Sarjana said on Wednesday, August 14, 2024.

Sarjana said the Chief of NTB Police also inspected the crime scene with West Lombok Police personnel. “We have seized several pieces of evidence left of the fire, including a large equipment used for mining,” said Sarjana.

The evidence collected by the police includes drums, trucks, mining products, lime, and ammonia found in a warehouse. At the scene, said Sarjana, a temporary camp belonging to the miners, a large piece of equipment, and a warehouse were burned. "It was some kind of machine, but we are yet to identify it since it was incinerated,” he said.

According to Sarjana, the burned camp was located at a gold mine managed by PT Indotan. "We will ask for PT Indotan’s statement,” he said.  

The police are probing several witnesses to learn more about the case, Sarjasa said. “But there have been no reports from the victims,” said Sarjana.

The Mataram Class I TPI Immigration Office is also investigating the whereabouts of the foreigners after the illegal camp incineration in Sekotong.  Head of the Intelligence and Immigration Enforcement, Iqbal Rifa'i, said that there were a total of 15 Chinese citizens suspected of being involved in the illegal mining camp incineration case, 

"The 15 Chinese citizens are Investor KITAS (Limited Stay Permit) holders, based on our system at the Mataram Immigration Office,” said Iqbal when met at the Immigration Office on Wednesday.

According to Iqbal, Immigration is working together with the police to investigate this case. However, thus far, he hasn’t been able to confirm whether the 15 Chinese citizens were carrying out mining activities in Sekotong. 

Iqbal Rifa'i said that his side obtained the information regarding the camp fire from the news. "Initial information was that frictions between local residents and mining workers who work with heavy equipment caused a riot,” he said. 

Iqbal could not confirm whether his side was caught off guard by the Chinese citizen's mining activities in the area. “Since we could not confirm whether they did carry out mining activities or not,” he concluded.

ABDUL LATIEF

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