Ambon, Indonesia—Provincial police arrested three individuals on Sunday following the unexplained disappearance of 331 kilograms of industrial mercury from a regional energy and mineral resources storage facility. Inventory auditors discovered the massive shortfall during a routine quarterly stock reconciliation inside the secure warehouse. Heavy metal canisters typically regulated for authorized extraction processing were missing from their designated storage bays. Investigators found no signs of forced entry on the main perimeter gates, pointing toward internal access compromise. Law enforcement units launched an immediate multi-agency manhunt to track the hazardous chemical consignment.
Forensic teams dusted the storage racks and adjacent office doors for latent fingerprints and footwear impressions. Digital access logs and security camera footage from the facility perimeter are currently undergoing deep forensic analysis. Environmental protection agencies expressed profound concern over the illicit circulation of such a large volume of toxic mercury. Unregulated mercury trafficking frequently feeds illegal gold processing operations operating across remote eastern provincial sectors. Investigators tracked transport leads to several suburban locations before executing coordinated nighttime detentions.
The three detained suspects face preliminary charges related to grand theft and administrative abuse of office. Police interrogation sessions focus on identifying downstream buyers and accomplices involved in moving the toxic material. Environmental health inspectors initiated soil and water testing procedures near the warehouse perimeter to rule out accidental contamination. Regional government representatives promised a comprehensive internal security overhaul across all provincial storage depots.
"The illegal removal of over three hundred kilograms of toxic mercury represents a severe environmental and legal breach," a senior regional police investigator stated during a press briefing. "Our tactical units have seized digital communication devices and transport logs to dismantle the distribution network." Custody hearings are scheduled for early Monday morning as prosecutors finalize formal indictment papers.
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