Police uncover two illegal gold smuggling groups in Indonesia

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3 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian National Police are expanding their investigation into the smuggling of illegal gold overseas after uncovering two smuggling groups operating in Indonesia.

“We found two groups operating in Indonesia. One group exports to Dubai, while the other exports to Hong Kong,” the Director of the Special Crimes Directorate of the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Agency, Brigadier General Mohammad Irhamni, said in Jakarta on Friday.

Investigators have prevented suspects apprehended in Indonesia from leaving the country.

Investigators will also trace the suspects’ assets and pursue those who have fled overseas.

“For those who have fled overseas, we will certainly carry out international cooperation efforts, both with Interpol and the International Relations Division of the Indonesian National Police,” he said.

The police previously arrested two Indian nationals suspected of smuggling illegal gold to Dubai.

As the investigation developed, investigators also uncovered a house allegedly used to process illegal gold.

The suspects allegedly melted the gold, turned it into powder, and then converted it into gel to evade airport security checks.

In addition, investigators from the Special Crimes Directorate uncovered an illegal gold-processing workshop that was allegedly prepared for export to Hong Kong.

The investigators also searched a house in North Jakarta allegedly serving as the base of a Chinese national identified by the initials GCZ, who is suspected of smuggling gold to Hong Kong.