Singkawang Police Deny Gold Smuggling Allegations at Airport

Singkawang Police have debunked viral social media claims of gold smuggling at the city's airport. The police stated that an investigation found the 8.3 kilograms of gold jewelry carried by four passengers to be legal, possessing all necessary official documentation.

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On the initial examination, the passengers only showed a letter of transit. According to procedure, Avsec officers then coordinated with the airline and reported the finding to the Singkawang Police for further examination.

According to Singkawang Police Chief AKBP Dody Yudianto Arruan, the four passengers were traveling with Super Air Jet when Aviation Security (Avsec) officers discovered the gold jewelry in two backpacks. Standard procedure involved the passengers presenting a "letter of transit," after which Avsec coordinated with the airline and reported the finding to the police for further examination.

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Based on the in-depth investigation, the authenticity of all documents could be proven. After the investigation process, other supporting documents were successfully presented, so the origin of the goods was declared legal.

The investigation confirmed the gold originated from a legitimate company outside of Kalimantan, specializing in precious metal refining and jewelry sales. This company holds a Business Identification Number (NIB) and other legal documents, all of which were verified by investigators. The company was transporting approximately 10 kilograms of gold jewelry from outside Kalimantan for sale in Pontianak and Singkawang. After selling about two kilograms in Pontianak, the remaining 8.3 kilograms were officially weighed in the presence of airport officials.

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Therefore, there was no legal basis to detain the four individuals or confiscate the items they were carrying.

Police found no criminal elements or any involvement of police officers, contrary to social media rumors. "Therefore, there was no legal basis to detain the four individuals or confiscate the items they were carrying," Arruan stated. He urged the public to be more discerning about information shared on social media, emphasizing the importance of verification to avoid causing public unrest. "Police are not anti-criticism. We are open to constructive input. However, we hope the public will not easily believe unverified information. Let us work together to maintain security and order in Singkawang city," he added.

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Police are not anti-criticism. We are open to constructive input. However, we hope the public will not easily believe unverified information. Let us work together to maintain security and order in Singkawang city.