Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin praised officers who arrested a Chinese citizen attempting to smuggle nickel through the private airport of PT Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) in North Maluku on Friday. 

The arrest, he said in a Saturday (6/12/2025) statement, reflected the government’s firm stance in protecting national natural resources.

“The state is present to uphold the law, enforce regulations, and correct long-standing issues. There must not be a republic within a republic,” Minister Sjafrie said, emphasizing tighter state control over privately operated airports. 

He confirmed that IWIP and other private airports previously lacking state oversight will now be guarded to prevent resource smuggling, as reported by antaranews.com.

The IWIP Joint Task Force earlier detained a Chinese citizen identified as MY, who allegedly carried five packs of nickel powder and four packs of pure nickel powder while boarding a flight from Weda Bay to Manado in North Sulawesi. He is now under investigation.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)