Fifty-six people have been arrested in a major crackdown on illegal mining in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality. The suspects, made up of 47 men and 9 women, were taken into custody during a joint operation led by the Western Regional Security Council and have since been handed over to the Western Regional Police Command for further investigations.
The operation, carried out on Thursday, March 13, targeted illegal mining activities in several locations, including Site Six of Ghana Rubber Company Ltd., North Palm Oil Plantation, Kadadwen, and parts of the Mpohor District. It was a collaborative effort involving personnel from the Western Naval Command, the Second Infantry Battalion, and the police.
As part of the raid, security forces also seized and destroyed 25 changfang machines floating dredging equipment commonly used for illegal mining in rivers. Additionally, three excavators, three pay-loaders, nine pumping machines, and three motorbikes were confiscated in Ahanta West and Mpohor.
Brigadier General Musa Whajah, the National Liaison Officer leading the operation, emphasized the authorities’ commitment to tackling illegal mining and its devastating impact on the environment.
“We made some arrests today, but we are taking a new approach. The suspects will be screened by the police, and those found guilty will be prosecuted,” he said.
In a separate operation on Wednesday, March 12, a Rapid Response Team from the Forestry Commission’s Tarkwa and Takoradi Forest Districts arrested eight illegal miners in the Subri Forest Reserve. They also seized seven motorcycles and three tricycles.
All suspects from both operations remain in police custody as investigations continue.
