The Ghana Police Service has intensified its fight against illegal mining, making significant strides in operations conducted across the country since March 2025.
So far, the police have arrested 208 suspects and recovered 99 excavators, along with other mining equipment.
A special operation at Samreboi, Wassa Dunkwa, Tigarikrom, and nearby communities in the Western Region led to the arrest of 58 individuals, 50 Ghanaians and 8 Chinese and retrieval of 85 excavators and 3 bulldozers.
Similar operations in other regions have resulted in:
– Western Region: 19 suspects arrested, 3 excavators and 3 pump-action guns seized.
– Upper West Region: 7 Ghanaian suspects arrested, 11 changfangs and 3 motorbikes recovered.
– Eastern South Region: 24 suspects, including a Burkinabe national, arrested; 5 excavators, 3 single-barrel guns and 1 pump-action gun retrieved.
– Western Central Region: 85 suspects apprehended (76 Ghanaians, 9 Chinese), and 11 excavators recovered.
– Eastern North Region: 15 suspects, including a Chinese national, arrested; 4 excavator control boards, 9 monitors and 1 pistol confiscated.
The police have assured the public of their unwavering dedication to combat illegal mining and safeguard the nation’s natural resources.
All suspects are currently undergoing legal processes.
