JAKARTA, Aug 19 — The Indonesian Navy has thwarted a suspected attempt to smuggle about 75.7 tonnes of illegally mined tin sand to Malaysia from the Bangka Belitung Islands off the east coast of Sumatra, with the haul estimated at Rp76.04 billion (RM17.27 million).

Indonesian Fleet Command chief Vice Admiral Denih Hendrata said the case came to light after naval personnel intercepted a truck carrying about eight tonnes of tin sand at a jetty in East Belitung on Aug 2, triggering a string of follow-up raids.

The raids uncovered about 50 tonnes in Lenggang village on Aug 3, another 10 tonnes packed in 200 sacks the following day and another five tonnes on Aug 8, he said.

“We did not stop there. The operation was expanded to uncover the network and other parties involved,” he said during a live-streamed press conference in Tanjungpandan, Belitung, on Wednesday.

No suspects had been named yet, while Denih said investigations had since expanded to five locations.

Laboratory tests were also being conducted to determine the mineral content, he said.

Asked whether the investigation would extend to Malaysia, Denih said interstate cooperation would be needed to trace the smuggling network and identify recipients in destination countries. — Bernama