Jakarta. The Indonesian government has shut down 1,000 illegal tin mines in the Bangka Belitung Islands over the past year as part of efforts to recover state assets, curb smuggling, and boost legal mining revenues, President Prabowo Subianto said on Wednesday evening.

Speaking at the Forbes Global CEO Conference in Jakarta, Prabowo said the clampdown reflects his administration’s commitment to protecting the environment and ensuring that the country’s natural resources are managed lawfully.

“We received reports of 1,000 illegal tin mines operating across the two islands,” Prabowo said, adding that these operations caused massive losses to the state through smuggling and unregulated extraction.”

According to the president, Indonesia has lost around 80 percent of its total tin output to illegal mining and cross-border smuggling. The government has since moved to shut down all unauthorized activities and take legal action against those involved.

In addition to mining, the government has also begun tackling unauthorized land clearing and illegal plantation expansion. Prabowo revealed that around 5 million hectares of palm oil plantations in Indonesia were operating without proper permits.

Through court rulings and legal recovery processes, the state has regained control of 3.7 million hectares of those lands as of October 2025, marking a significant milestone in Prabowo’s first year in office.

Prabowo said the enforcement campaign is part of his government's commitment to uphold the rule of law and reorganize the management of natural resources. It is being coordinated between the Attorney General’s Office and the Supreme Audit Agency, ensuring all violations are prosecuted under existing laws.

Prabowo stressed that the government would not tolerate any form of resource theft or illegal economic activity — whether in mining, plantations, or other sectors.

“The law is the law. Regulations are regulations. Those who violate them must face justice. It’s that simple. We are restoring many state assets efficiently,” Prabowo said.

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