REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MANOKWARI -- Police in West Papua has extended the arrest of five Chinese citizens for alleged involvement in illegal gold mining activity in the Indonesian eastern province.

The director of crime investigation of the West Papua regional police command, Senior Commissioner Parlindungan Silitonga, said in Manokwari on Monday their arrest has been extended for another 40 days to allow the police to complete the evidence.

He said several investigators have been sent to Makassar in South Sulawesi to have the gold secured tested with regard to conform its content adding he was optimistic the case could be sent to the prosecutor's office within the next two weeks.

Besides handling the five suspects known as Wu Haian, Wu Dongping, Wu Bajin, Wu Shijun and Zheng Lianghua the police also continued developing their investigation.

"We are still looking after the party that has invited them here. We have kept one name," he said.

The police are still searching the whereabouts of a person known as C by his initial who is also a Chinese citizen, he explained.

He said the police continued coordinating with the immigration office in Manokwari in an effort to unveil the case and arrest all suspects.

"These five people are mere laborers. We are still looking after the one who has sent and employed them here," he added.

Several items have been secured as evidence including an excavator used by these people. According to provisional information, the equipment did not belong to them but it was leased.

The five Chinese citizens were arrested on September 21, 2017. They are believed not only to have violated a criminal law but also immigration regulations as what they held were only passports.

Police first had difficulties interrogating them because these people could only speak Chinese.

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