Navy seizes 496 tons of smuggled tin

The Indonesian Navy has seized nearly 497 tons of smuggled tin worth about Rp173.6 billion, or roughly $11 million, in operations across the Bangka Belitung region, the Navy chief said as quoted by Tempo.

Admiral Muhammad Ali said the crackdown was carried out by the Tri Cakti Task Force, which involves land, sea and air units, with support from naval forces to prevent smuggling by sea.

Authorities confiscated 496.892 tons of tin, comprising 183.142 tons of refined tin bars ready for sale, 313.209 tons of tin ore or sand, 0.541 tons of cast tin and 0.121 tons of tin coins.

Muhammad Ali said smugglers frequently changed their methods, often disguising shipments as marine products such as fish or shrimp before inspections uncovered tin sand.

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In addition to the tin seizure, authorities thwarted an attempt to smuggle 10,700 tons of rare earth minerals, including 9,300 tons of monazite and 1,300 tons of zircon. Ilmenite was also found, with the quantity still being calculated.

The navy chief said the value of the monazite and other rare earth minerals could not yet be determined because of the absence of domestic regulations governing their pricing.

Suspects in the case will be handed over to prosecutors, he said, adding that the operation forms part of efforts to curb illegal mining and resource smuggling that harm state finances and the environment.

Editing by Alexander Ginting