The Treasure Hunters
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
A treasure trove worth trillions of rupiah is scattered over the seabed of Indonesia’s waters, from Sumatra to Papua. It is hunted by companies with worldwide operations and fiercely fought over as soon as they are discovered. Retired servicemen reportedly back some of the operations.
ANDI Asmara held the thick, encyclopedia-like book with extra care. Written in Chinese characters, the book the size of a 14-inch laptop had an English title: The Atlas of Shipwrecks & Treasure. “This book is exclusively owned by the world treasure community,” Andi, Chairman of the Indonesian Artifacts Salvage Business Association, told Tempo Thursday last week.
Two shelves in Andi’s office were lined with books on hidden treasure, some in
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