Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) has successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle 25 tons of illegal tin ore. The ore believed to be en route to Malaysia, through the shipping channel near Pangkal Balam Port, Pulau Bangka, Bangka Belitung Province on Sunday, June 1.
The operation was carried out by the Fleet One Quick Response (F1QR) team from the Bangka Belitung Naval Base (Lanal). According to Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral I Made Wira Hady Arsanta Wardhana, the interception began when the F1QR team was patrolling the waters off Pangkal Pinang.
“Not long into the patrol, the team spotted a suspicious vessel that had run aground in the Pangkal Balam shipping lane,” Wira said, as reported by Antara.
Upon arrival, the Navy personnel identified the vessel as a wooden ship named KM Indah Jaya GT 34, marked with a red stripe on its hull.
However, as the team approached, several crew members fled into the surrounding mangrove forest. Suspicious of the crew’s behavior, the Navy boarded the vessel.
The team then discovered approximately 25 tons of tin ore stored in sacks in the ship’s cargo hold. Both the vessel and its cargo were secured and taken to the Pangkal Balam Naval Post for further investigation.
Read Also:
Indonesian Authorities Foil Smuggling of 1,500 Horseshoe Crabs Bound for Malaysia
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali praised the Bangka Belitung base for intercepting the smuggling attempt, noting it was not the first such incident.
Previously on March 11, 2025, local police had uncovered a similar case involving the attempted shipment of 22 tons of illegal tin ore to Batam, in the Riau Islands.
Admiral Muhammad Ali emphasized that such efforts to foil the smuggle of illegal tin ore align with President Prabowo Subianto’s “Asta Cita” vision, aiming to strengthen national defense and security through professional and proportional law enforcement.
The Navy continues to enhance surveillance and enforcement measures to prevent similar smuggling attempts in the future.
(Raidi/Agung)
