Indonesia Losing Up to $2.4 Billion a Year From Illegal Tin Activities

MINING COMPANY - JAKARTA. Illegal tin mining and the smuggling of tin ore are costing Indonesia's government about 30 trillion to 40 trillion rupiah ($1.8 billion-$2.4 billion) per year, President Prabowo Subianto said on Monday as he called for action to "save all of Indonesia's wealth."

Prabowo, speaking at a ceremony where the Attorney General handed over to the government 13 trillion rupiah that was seized during a graft case against three palm oil companies, said authorities needed to pursue more cases of misconduct in natural resources sectors.