The Ghana Police Service has ramped up its nationwide efforts to combat illegal mining, seizing 99 excavators and arresting 208 suspects in a series of operations carried out from March 2025 to the present.
One of the most significant anti-galamsey operations took place in Samreboi, along the Tano River, and extended to areas such as Wassa Dunkwa, Tigarikrom, and nearby communities in the Western Region.
During this operation, 58 individuals were arrested — including 50 Ghanaians and 8 Chinese nationals. Authorities also confiscated 85 excavators and 3 bulldozers.
Regional police operations conducted nationwide have produced significant outcomes:
- The Western Regional Police Command arrested 19 individuals and recovered three excavators along with three pump-action shotguns.
- The Upper West Regional Police Command detained seven Ghanaian suspects, seizing 11 changfang machines and three motorbikes.
- The Eastern South Regional Police Command apprehended 24 suspects, including one Burkinabe national, and confiscated five excavators, three single-barrel guns, and one pump-action shotgun.
- The Western Central Regional Police Command arrested 85 suspects—76 Ghanaians and nine Chinese nationals—and recovered 11 excavators.
- The Eastern North Regional Police Command arrested 15 suspects, including one Chinese national, and retrieved four excavator control boards, nine monitors, and one pistol.
In total, the nationwide operations have led to the following results:
- 208 suspects arrested
- 99 excavators recovered
- 3 bulldozers retrieved
- 11 changfang machines seized
- A total of 8 firearms confiscated, including 4 pump-action guns, 3 single-barrel guns, and 1 pistol
- Numerous additional items seized, such as vehicles, motorbikes, tricycles, generators, gold detectors, and water pumping machines
The Ghana Police Service has reiterated that all suspects are being handled in accordance with the law.
In an official statement, the Service reaffirmed its commitment to combating illegal mining and safeguarding the nation’s natural resources:
“We assure the public of our unwavering dedication to fighting illegal mining and protecting our country’s natural resources,” the statement said.
The Police emphasized that the fight against galamsey remains a top national priority and pledged to continue exerting pressure on individuals involved in the illegal exploitation of Ghana’s land and water bodies.
