JAKARTA - The Indonesian Military (TNI) together with a joint task force has foiled an attempt to smuggle 390 tonnes of raw minerals containing illegal rare earth metals and radioactive elements in Riau Islands waters.

The value of the commodities is estimated to be in the trillions of rupiah, or hundreds of millions of United States dollars.

TNI chief of general staff Lt Gen Richard Taruli H. Tampubolon directly led a high-level investigation team in a May 26 visit to the impounded vessels, the tugboat TB Capricorn 106 and barge TK Capricorn 92.210, currently moored at the Indonesian Navy’s Naval Command (Kodaeral) IV/Batam headquarters’ pier.

Also attending the visit were Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) Febrie Adriansyah, Republic of Indonesia Fleet Command (Koarmada RI) commander Vice Adm Denih Hendrataa and several senior officials from the Office of the Coordinating Politics and Security Minister.

The vessels were intercepted on May 17 by KRI Kujang-642, a missile fast-attack-craft (KCR) under the command of First Fleet Command (Koarmada) I Maritime Security Task Force (Guskamla), in the Singapore Straits, Koarmada I said on its official Instagram account @koarmada_1.

The vessels were carrying tin and heading towards Singapore. Initial investigation shows suspected severe violations on customs and mineral exports regulations, which were deemed to threaten natural resources management sovereignty and harming the state economy. 

During a presentation at Hang Nadim International Airport, Riau Islands, Kodaeral IV commander Rear Adm Berkat Widjanarko revealed that the vessels were carrying 25 containers of illicit goods.

Based on laboratory tests conducted by tin miner PT Timah in Kundur, Tanjung Balai Karimun, samples which were first claimed as ilmenite, were proven to contain high titanium oxide. Ilmenite is a Titanium-iron (II) oxide and the most important ore of titanium and the main source of titanium oxide.

Zirconium oxide is used in the production of hard ceramics such as in dentistry; thorium oxide c...