Jakarta, Aug. 14 -- The Indonesian government has halted illegal gold mining operations and seized two excavators from a limited production forest in Bolano Lambunu sub-district, Parigi Moutong district, Central Sulawesi.

"This enforcement action was our swift response to public reports on unlicensed gold mining using heavy excavators that damaged forest areas in Central Sulawesi," Ali Bahri, head of the Sulawesi Forestry Law Enforcement Office, said on Thursday.

He emphasized the urgency of the measure, noting that the area had recently suffered a flash flood - linked to environmental damage - that claimed seven lives.

With assistance from related agencies and the Palu military command, authorities confiscated the excavators from two ...