Jakarta, Oct 6 (NationPress) Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has mandated law enforcement agencies to enhance their measures against illegal mining and smuggling, especially in regions abundant in tin, as reported by state news agency Antara on Monday.

On Monday, Prabowo visited Pangkal Pinang, the capital of Bangka Belitung Islands Province, to oversee the transfer of confiscated state assets from illegal mining operations to state-owned tin miner PT Timah.

The Attorney General's Office recently confiscated six tin smelters in the province due to a corruption scandal, resulting in an estimated loss of 300 trillion Indonesian rupiahs (approximately 18 billion US dollars) to the state.

Describing the seizures as a “proud achievement,” Prabowo called for the Attorney General's Office, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Customs and Excise Office, and the Maritime Security Agency to maintain their collaborative operations, as reported by Xinhua News Agency.

“This demonstrates that the government is serious and committed to eliminating smuggling, illegal mining, and all unlawful activities,” he stated.

Last month, Prabowo instructed the TNI, National Police, and Customs and Excise Office to initiate a comprehensive operation in Bangka Belitung to shut down smuggling routes for tin products. He noted that nearly 80 percent of the nation’s tin output is smuggled annually, often using small vessels.

The President projected that ongoing enforcement could save the state as much as 22 trillion rupiahs (around 1.32 billion dollars) by the year's end.

In a separate incident, all seven workers trapped in a wet material slide at PT Freeport Indonesia's Grasberg Block Cave Underground Mine in Central Papua have been confirmed deceased, as stated by the company on Monday.

The tragedy occurred on September 8 in Mimika Regency. After 27 days of dedicated search and rescue efforts, a collaborative team including PT Freeport Indonesia, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, local police, the National Search and Rescue Agency, and the Regional Disaster Management Agency recovered the last five bodies on Sunday. Two other victims were discovered earlier on September 20.

PT Freeport Indonesia reported that the rescue operation faced significant challenges due to the intricate location and the approximately 800,000 tons of wet material that covered the site.

Tony Wenas, President Director of PT Freeport Indonesia, expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and honored the rescue teams for their relentless endeavors. He assured that the company would continue to support the families and ensure the respectful handling of the remains.

An investigation into the incident is currently underway, with the company committing to a thorough and transparent process aimed at preventing future occurrences.