Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian National Police have uncovered a syndicate smuggling illegal gold to Hong Kong by concealing gold on people’s bodies, the police’s Criminal Investigation Agency said here Wednesday.
Brigadier General Mohammad Irhamni, director of specific crimes, said investigators arrested a suspect identified as R on Tuesday, August 25.
“Investigators arrested R upon his arrival from Japan at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport,” he said.
Investigators found R had identified a house in Penjaringan, North Jakarta, as a suspected site for illegal gold transactions.
Police searched the house on Tuesday, believing it was being used as a base by a Chinese national identified as GCZ.
“GCZ is the Chinese national who harbored and smuggled gold to Hong Kong,” Irhamni said.
The house was also suspected of being used to refine and process illegal gold before it was smuggled to Hong Kong by attaching gold patches to people’s bodies.
Investigators seized equipment suspected of being used to refine and process gold, as well as cash, transaction documents and agreements to help trace the network’s finances.
“Based on these documents, we will coordinate with the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) to trace their financial transactions and assets,” he said.
Police will coordinate with PPATK to trace transactions and locate assets suspected of being linked to the illegal activities, he said.
Irhamni said GCZ was believed to have fled abroad. Investigators will pursue him while expanding the probe to identify others allegedly involved in the network.
“We will pursue the suspects and confiscate assets linked to illegal gold sales and smuggling to Hong Kong,” Irhamni said.
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Translator: Nadia Putri R, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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