19-5-2024 (JAKARTA) In a major crackdown on alleged corruption in the tin trade, Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office (AGO) continues to delve into suspected graft involving commodity trading licenses issued to PT Timah Tbk.
The investigation has led to the naming of 20 suspects in alleged corruption cases and one suspect for obstruction of justice, according to authoritative sources. The suspects are believed to have facilitated illegal tin mining operations in the Bangka Belitung region by entering into fictitious cooperation agreements with PT Timah, the state-owned tin mining company.
These agreements were allegedly used as a cover for the suspects to establish shell companies through which they could extract tin ore from mining areas in Bangka Belitung. As part of the probe, authorities have seized a range of lavish assets, including cash, 55 heavy machinery units, and 16 vehicles, seven of which are luxury cars owned by one of the suspects, Harvey Moeis, who is also the husband of Indonesian celebrity Sandra Dewi.
The AGO has frozen 66 bank accounts and confiscated 187 plots of land and buildings connected to the case. One of the seized properties is a luxurious house in the upscale Summarecon Serpong residential area in Banten, belonging to suspect Tamron Tamsil, the beneficial owner of CV VIP.
“As of today, the investigation team has blocked 66 bank accounts,” stated Ketut Sumedana, the Head of the AGO’s Public Relations Center, in a written statement.
Furthermore, six tin smelters located in the Bangka Belitung Islands, spanning a total area of 238,848 square meters, have been seized. Among the confiscated smelters are those owned by CV VIP, PT SIP, PT TI, and PT SBS. Authorities have also taken control of a public fuel station (SPBU) in South Tangerang City.
According to Ketut, the six smelters have been entrusted to the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry (BUMN), allowing them to continue operations under the management of state-owned companies. “This ensures that the confiscation actions preserve economic value and do not create social impact,” Ketut explained.
