In a renewed and intensified effort to combat illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, the Ghana Police Service and the Forestry Commission have ca
In a renewed and intensified effort to combat illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, the Ghana Police Service and the Forestry Commission have carried out separate yet coordinated operations in the Central and Western regions, resulting in the arrest of 16 suspects, including two Chinese, and the seizure of heavy mining machinery and vehicles.
Over the weekend, a Special Anti-Galamsey Police Unit, acting on intelligence, stormed a mining site along the main road leading to Dunkwa-on-Offin in the Central Region.
The operation, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACPOL) Eric Asiedu, who heads Police Special Operations, culminated in the arrest of nine suspects who were actively engaged in illegal mining on the roadside.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Kofi Takyi, 42; Evans Nkrumah, 39; Akayibri Justin, 27; Nana Bediako, 27; Nana Yaw Boateng, 19; Shon-Vitus, 21; Gideon Asodina, 27; Atanga Sampson, 27; and Yaw Sey, 30.
In the course of the operation, law enforcement officers also seized four excavators, three power generators, five water pumping machines, and five motorbikes that were being used in the illicit mining activity.
This latest arrest forms part of a broader police campaign in the Samreboi area of the Western Region, where illegal miners have been polluting water bodies, including the Tano River, and degrading forest reserves such as the Tano Anwia Forest.
The Police Special Operations team has been on the ground over the past month, dismantling illegal mining camps and arresting offenders.
Despite these efforts, illegal miners continue to attempt encroachment into protected forest areas.
In a related operation on the same day, a team from the Rapid Response Unit of the Forestry Commission based in Enchi, in collaboration with Forest Guards, conducted a raid at about 10 a.m. in the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve.
That operation led to the arrest of seven additional individuals involved in galamsey.
Among those arrested in the forest raid were two Chinese nationals and five Ghanaian accomplices.
Two excavators used in clearing forest land for mining were impounded, along with a Toyota pick-up vehicle bearing registration number GT 7779-25.
The suspects were subsequently handed over to the Enchi District Police Command for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Illegal mining, which poses a serious threat to Ghana’s environment, water bodies, and communities, has been a top priority for law enforcement and environmental agencies.
Government authorities continue to warn that the destruction of natural reserves and water sources could have irreversible consequences on the ecosystem and livelihoods.
The Ghana Police Service and the Forestry Commission have reiterated their commitment to sustaining the crackdown and urged the public to assist by reporting illegal mining activities.
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