BOGOR: On Sunday 20 people were arrested by Nanggung Police for mining gold illegally, in a joint operation with PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (Antam), in Bogor.

The police wedged the people red handed mining at Lubang Hamerang, Cepu Block, in a mining area known as Pongkor.

Bogor Police one of the head of detective team, First Insp. Subandriyo, said the 20 miners were charged with robbery gold since they were caught digging without licenses.

He said the miners could access level 3 of Antam's gold mine from Lubang Hamerang.

During the arrest, the team sequesters crowbars and plastic sacks, which were used to take their findings, as evidence.

Most of them came from Bogor regency and Banten province, Subandriyo said.

Antam's representative, Yulan Kustian, said that the miners had encroached on Antam's territory several times in the past.

Soleh, one of the illegal miners, said mining at Pongkor was his only source of income.