Indonesian Navy thwarts bid to smuggle 75.7 tonnes of tin sand worth RM17.27m to Malaysia

Jakarta, Aug 19 — The Indonesian Navy has successfully prevented a suspected smuggling attempt of approximately 75.7 tonnes of illegally mined tin sand destined for Malaysia from the Bangka Belitung Islands, located off the east coast of Sumatra. The valuable cargo, estimated at Rp76.04 billion (RM17.27 million), came to light when naval personnel intercepted a truck laden with around eight tonnes of tin sand at a port in East Belitung on August 2.

This discovery led to a series of follow-up raids that uncovered a significant amount of the illicit substance. On August 3, about 50 tonnes were found in Lenggang village, followed by another 10 tonnes packaged in 200 sacks the next day, with an additional five tonnes discovered on August 8. Fleet Command chief Vice Admiral Denih Hendrata revealed that the operation was not limited to these instances and expanded to uncover the larger network of individuals involved in the smuggling operation.

During a live-streamed press conference in Tanjungpandan, Belitung, on Wednesday, Denih stated that the investigation had spread to five different locations and that laboratory tests were being conducted to analyze the mineral content of the tin sand. When asked if the probe would extend to Malaysia, Denih indicated that interstate cooperation would be essential to trace the smuggling network and identify potential recipients in destination countries.