The War Against Illegal Mining: When the Prabowo Government Targets Networks of Forest Destroyers and Looters of State Wealth
Jakarta – Forest destruction due to illegal mining practices... See more
The War Against Illegal Mining: When the Prabowo Government Targets Networks of Forest Destroyers and Looters of State Wealth
Jakarta – Forest destruction due to illegal mining practices in Indonesia has developed into a multidimensional threat: destroying the environment, harming state finances, triggering ecological disasters, and weakening national resilience. In the midst of massive illegal exploitation, President Prabowo Subianto's government has begun to place the eradication of illegal mining as a national strategic agenda involving law enforcement officials, the military, financial intelligence and technical ministries.
Government data and various law enforcement results show that illegal mining practices are no longer just small-scale community activities, but have developed into illegal economic networks involving large capital, control of forest areas, and even alleged money laundering practices.
Thousands of Illegal Mining Points Are Eroding Indonesian Forests
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) previously identified at least 2,741 illegal mining spots in Indonesia. This figure is spread from Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, to Papua and continues to grow in various forms of commodities, from gold, coal, tin, nickel, to C minerals.
In 2026, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources' Law Enforcement Directorate will again reveal the existence of hundreds of illegal mining locations in various provinces, with a high concentration in South Kalimantan, West Java, Bangka Belitung, Central Kalimantan and North Sumatra. The government is also handling at least seven major cases of illegal mining with potential state losses reaching IDR 857.55 billion.
However, these financial losses are thought to be just the tip of the iceberg. President Prabowo Subianto said that illegal mining practices that have been going on for decades have the potential to cause the country to lose up to IDR 800 trillion, not including environmental damage which requires huge recovery costs.
From Bangka Belitung to IKN: Traces of Losses of Trillions of Rupiah
One of the biggest cases that reveals the destructive impact of illegal mining is the tin trading scandal in Bangka Belitung. In this case, law enforcement officials uncovered potential state losses and environmental damage worth hundreds of trillions of rupiah, making it one of the biggest natural resource scandals in Indonesian history.
Another case of concern is the practice of illegal coal mining in the Archipelago Capital (IKN) area. The Directorate of Certain Crimes, Bareskrim Polri, revealed that potential state losses due to this illegal activity reached IDR 5.7 trillion, while also showing how illegal mining activities are able to operate in areas that should be under strict state supervision.
Meanwhile, the government's analysis of illegal gold mining practices in various regions shows allegations of suspicious fund flows and financial transactions that have the potential to cause losses to the state of up to hundreds of billions of rupiah. These findings strengthen the suspicion that illegal mining activities are connected to a wider underground economic network.
Forest Damage and Disaster Threats
The impact of illegal mining is not only measured by the loss of state revenue. Damage to forest cover due to land clearing without permits has caused a decline in the function of river watersheds, increased sedimentation, water pollution, and increased the risk of floods and landslides.
In various regions, indigenous communities and local residents are the groups most affected. They have lost sources of clean water, productive agricultural land, and face the threat of ecological disasters which are increasing every year. Ironically, community self-help efforts to protect forests often face limited support and weak law enforcement against perpetrators of environmental destruction.
Mining experts also believe that the rise in illegal mining activities reflects weak supervision and the existence of funding networks that allow these operations to continue for a long time without effective enforcement.
Prabowo Government Strategy: From Forest Control to Asset Tracing
In contrast to the previous approach which tended to focus on field actors, President Prabowo's government has begun to direct its strategy to eradicate illegal mining at the structural and financial levels.
At the start of his administration, President Prabowo issued Presidential Regulation Number 5 of 2025 concerning Forest Area Control, which became the basis for the formation of the Forest Area Control Task Force (PKH Task Force). This task force involves cross-institutions, including the Ministry of Defense, Attorney General's Office, Polri, TNI, PPATK, BPKP, and related ministries.
The task force is not only tasked with taking action, but also:
* take back control of illegally controlled forest areas;
* tracing the financial flow of environmental crime proceeds;
* carry out restoration of damaged areas;
* identify companies that do not have permits to use forest areas;
* recommend revocation of business permits.
By early 2026, the government reported that it had succeeded in regaining control of millions of hectares of areas previously controlled illegally. Part of this area was returned to conservation areas and protected forests. The government has also revoked the permits of dozens of companies deemed to have violated forest area management provisions.
President's Order: No Compromise on Illegal Mining
In a number of cabinet meetings and evaluations of the PKH Task Force, President Prabowo emphasized that the state must regain control of natural resources in accordance with the mandate of Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution. Controlling illegal mining is positioned not only as an environmental agenda, but also as an agenda for state sovereignty.
The PKH Task Force itself has identified around 4.2 million hectares of areas that are suspected of being used for mining activities without valid forest area use permits. Large-scale enforcement operations are starting to be prepared to reach areas that have previously been difficult for law enforcement to touch.
The Long War to Save Indonesia's Forests
The Gerindra Party emphasizes its strong rejection of the exploitation of natural resources which damages the environment, eliminates water sources and suffers local communities. Indonesia's natural wealth, according to the party's view, must be managed as much as possible for the prosperity of the people, not to enrich a few perpetrators of environmental destruction.
Ultimately eradicating illegal mining is not just a law enforcement operation. This is a battle between public interests and illegal economic networks that for years have profited from the destruction of Indonesia's forests. The Prabowo government's success in breaking this chain will be one of the biggest tests in efforts to restore state sovereignty over Indonesia's natural wealth.
Updated 5 day ago
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The War Against Illegal Mining: When the Prabowo Government Targets Networks of Forest Destroyers and Looters of State Wealth
Jakarta – Forest destruction due to illegal mining practices... See more
Jakarta – Forest destruction due to illegal mining practices... See more
