Banjar police arrests unlicensed gold miner

Martapura, South Kalimantan (AntaranewsKalsel) - The Banjar Police in South Kalimantan arrested illegal gold miners and seized equipment he used to mine gold in a rubber plantation.

"The perpetrator has been named as a suspect and the case is further appropriate legal process. We put attention on mining activities without license which is rampant," said Police Chief Adj Sr Comr (AKBP) Takdir Mattanete in Martapura, Wednesday.

Police chief, who was accompanied by Head of Crime Detective Unit AKP Sofyan, said that SW, who confessed himself as a miner and owner of the land, has violated Law No. 4/2009 on mineral and coal mining.

"Every mining business must have a license, either IUP, IPR or IUPK. If it does not to be charged a maximum imprisonment of 4 years and a maximum fine of Rp10 billion," he said.

According to him, the arrest of SW was done by Crime Detective Unit (Satreskrim) on Monday (24/7) in a rubber plantation in Baru Village, Mataraman Sub-district, Banjar. He was found mining coal. With him were four other men who were named as witnesses.

Meanwhile, SW claimed to have two months of running gold mining activities without permission and has managed to get 8 grams of gold.