This research aims to examine law enforcement against illegal sand mining
activities as an effort to mitigate environmental damage in Cilacap Regency. The
issues discussed include the forms of environmental damage caused by illegal
mining activities and the effectiveness of law enforcement in addressing them. The
research method used is a legal-empirical approach with a qualitative focus,
involving the collection of primary data from interviews with law enforcement
officials and relevant agencies, as well as secondary data from legal materials and
literature. The research findings indicate that illegal sand mining activities cause
environmental impacts such as changes in land physical conditions, damage to
river basins, erosion, and sedimentation, as well as social and economic impacts such as community conflicts and economic dependence on illegal activities.
Furthermore, law enforcement has not been optimally implemented due to structural constraints, weak inter-agency coordination, limited oversight, and low
public legal awareness. Therefore, an integrated law enforcement strategy is needed through repressive, preventive, and socio-economic approaches to achieve sustainable environmental protection.