Jakarta, Oct. 31 -- Indonesia's Environment and Forestry Ministry has launched another crackdown on illegal gold mining in a protected forest area in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), officials said on Friday.

The enforcement targeted unlicensed mining operations in the Pelangan Limited Production Forest (HPT) RTK.07 in Sekotong Subdistrict, West Lombok District.

The joint operation was conducted from Oct. 28-29 by the ministry's Law Enforcement Directorate (Gakkum) with the provincial forestry, energy, and environment offices, and 162/Wira Bhakti Regional Military Command (Korem).

"Illegal mining in forest areas damages ecosystems and threatens community safety," said Dwi Januanto Nugroho, the ministry's director general for Law Enforcement....