Indonesia seizes $19.1m in assets in bauxite mining corruption case

Indonesia's Attorney General's Office has seized assets worth IDR 338.36 billion (USD 19.1 million) and named five suspects in an alleged corruption case involving a bauxite mining permit in West Kalimantan.

Indonesia's Attorney General's Office (AGO) has seized IDR 338.36 billion (USD 19.1 million) in assets belonging to Sudianto, also known as Aseng, the beneficial owner of PT Quality Success Sejahtera (QSS), as part of an alleged corruption investigation into the company's bauxite mining business permit.

The seizure was carried out by investigators from the AGO's Special Crimes division and the Asset Recovery Agency between August 25 and 29 at several locations under the jurisdiction of West Kalimantan.

The assets include land, buildings, mining equipment, barges, tugboats and vehicles connected to QSS's operations.

Barges and tugboats make up most of seized assets

The largest portion of the assets seized consists of movable property, valued at approximately IDR 336.92 billion (USD 19.0 million).

Among the most valuable assets are seven barges worth IDR 210 billion (USD 11.8 million) and nine tugboats valued at IDR 90 billion (USD 5.1 million). Investigators also seized 16 units of mining heavy equipment valued at around IDR 32 billion (USD 1.8 million).

A further 46 dump trucks and several operational vehicles were seized, with their combined estimated value exceeding IDR 6.3 billion (USD 355,000). Land and buildings included in the seizure were valued at approximately IDR 1.44 billion (USD 81,000).

AGO Legal Information Center Head Anang Supriatna said the seized assets had been secured, sealed, placed under custody and validated in coordination with the AGO's Asset Recovery Task Force.

“The seized evidence will subsequently be placed in custody and secured in accordance with applicable criminal procedural law to preserve its integrity and economic value,” Anang said.

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Five suspects named in bauxite permit case

The AGO has named five suspects in the alleged corruption case involving irregularities in the management of PT QSS's bauxite mining business permit between 2017 and 2025.

The suspects include Sudianto, the beneficial owner of QSS; YA, a QSS commissioner; IA, a licensing consultant for QSS and director of PT BMU; AP, a QSS director; and HSFD, a mining analyst at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources' Directorate of Mineral Business Development.

According to investigators, Sudianto was directly involved in mining activities outside the company's licensed area and allegedly controlled PT QSS's operations.

The investigation therefore covers both the management of the mining permit and alleged mining activities conducted beyond the company's authorised area.

AGO steps up asset recovery

The latest seizure adds to the AGO's efforts to recover potential state losses arising from the alleged violations involving PT QSS's bauxite mining permit.

The scale of the assets seized particularly the vessels and heavy mining equipment used in mining operations makes asset recovery a significant part of the investigation.

For now, the AGO has secured the seized assets while the corruption case involving the five suspects proceeds.

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