Indonesia has charged 24 foreign nationals as criminal suspects in an illegal gold mining operation in the country’s Maluku region, its energy ministry said. The suspects were allegedly building infrastructure for the illegal mines, including roads and processing facilities around the Gunung Botak area of Maluku.
Violations of the law could carry maximum prison sentences of five years, the ministry added. The ministry did not give the nationalities of the suspects or the amount of gold produced.
State news agency Antara reported last month that 24 Chinese nationals in Gunung Botak working under the sponsorship of local company PT Harmoni Alam Manise had been detained for questioning. Two other Indonesians were named as criminal suspects along with the foreign nationals, the ministry added.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
