The police have arrested 17 suspects in connection with illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, activities at Samreboi in the Western Region.
The suspects were arrested in an operation conducted by a special police anti-galamsey taskforce from the national police headquarters in Accra on Sunday, May 25, 2025.
The operation was part of ongoing anti-galamsey operations in the area.
The suspects, comprised seven Chinese nationals and ten Ghanaians.
All the 17 suspects have subsequently been transported to Accra, to assist with further investigations.
The anti-galamsey task force disclosed that it is intensifying its operations within the Aowin Tano and Tano Anwia areas near Enchi.
The task force has assured of identifying additional persons of interest and protecting the affected forest reserves.
A statement issued by the police stressed that the law enforcement agency remains resolute in its support for national efforts to combat illegal mining.
In a related development, about 42 excavators which were found at galamsey sites in the Gwira area of the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region, have been confiscated.
They were retrieved from mining sites in Dominase, Ablebo, Aweleso, Afransie and Banso.
According to information gathered, some of the sites belonged to Okobeng Mining in the Western Region.
However, since the current government took office, some National Democratic Congress (NDC) activists have invaded some of the sites and are engaging in illegal mining together with some Chinese nationals.
“They are degrading the land and polluting the River Ankobra in the area,” some of the residents asserted.
After incessant complaints, the Chief Executive Officer of Okobeng Mining gathered some of his boys, who stormed the mining sites to confiscate the excavators, and they intend to hand them over to the police.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi