Prabowo orders closure of 1,000 illegal tin mines in Bangka Belitung

President Prabowo Subianto has ordered the investigation and closure of approximately 1,000 illegal tin mining sites in the Bangka Belitung Islands province. The crackdown involves an integrated effort between the Indonesian National Police (Polri) and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) to dismantle large-scale unauthorized mining operations and shut down smuggling routes.

This enforcement action aims to improve national tin industry governance and support the performance of the state-owned enterprise PT Timah Tbk. The President raised serious questions regarding how such a high volume of illegal activity could persist, suggesting the issue touches upon state oversight, natural resource management, and potential involvement of various networks.

Observers note that while illegal mining presents a significant structural challenge due to complex networks, these measures are seen as a critical starting point for establishing a healthier, more structured, and legal mining supply chain in Indonesia.