Mochamad Husen, a lecturer at Latansa Mashiro University in Rangkasbitung on Sunday, praised recent moves by Banten police, that arrested 10 illegal gold-mining suspects, and by the Forest Area Enforcement Task Force (PKH), which sealed unlicensed mine shafts inside the Mount Halimun Salak National Park (TNGHS).
He said illegal mining has accelerated forest degradation across Banten, where about 200,000 hectares are classified as critical or severely critical, according to provincial environmental and forestry authorities.
Damage has spread across conservation areas and productive forests, he said, adding that enforcement is urgent to prevent further ecological harm.
Forest degradation inside TNGHS has reached an estimated 10–15 percent of the park’s 105,072 hectares, which span Lebak, Bogor and Sukabumi Districts, he said.
Husen said decisive action by Banten police and the PKH task force is needed to curb illegal operations and prevent disasters similar to recent floods and landslides in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh.
He said Lebak and Pandeglang Districts hold extensive forest cover that must be preserved through protection and reforestation efforts.
Local communities, he said, support firm action against environmental crimes that threaten ecological stability and undermine social and economic systems.
Husen called on the government, law-enforcement agencies, civil society and community groups to work together to safeguard forests and maintain environmental resilience.
Rudianto Saragih Napitu, director of forest-crime enforcement, said authorities will continue operations against illegal gold mining in Lebak, where activity is spread across 11 zones.
He estimated potential state losses from illegal mining at about 304 billion rupiah (USD18 million) and said investigators are pursuing financiers behind the operations.
Perpetrators face prison terms under Indonesia’s laws on forest destruction and biodiversity conservation.
Rudianto declined to disclose details on suspects, saying investigators are focused on shutting down additional illegal mining points inside TNGHS.
He said authorities are tracing several target sites used to store illegally extracted ore, adding that investigators remain focused on securing and dismantling illegal mining locations.
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Translator: Mansyur Suryana, Primayantinti
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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