The Ghana Police Service has arrested 208 suspects and retrieved 99 excavators in an intensified nationwide crackdown on illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey.
The operation, conducted between March and May 2025, targeted major illegal mining hotspots with the aim of protecting the country’s water bodies and natural resources.
In a statement released on Tuesday, May 13, the Police highlighted significant successes, particularly in the Western Region.
In a major swoop around Samreboi along the Tano River, Wassa Dunkwa, and Tigarikrom, 58 individuals comprising 50 Ghanaians and eight Chinese nationals were arrested, with 85 excavators and three bulldozers recovered.
Additional arrests were made across the country: the Western Regional Command apprehended 19 suspects and retrieved firearms; the Eastern South Region recorded 24 arrests, including one Burkinabe, and recovered multiple weapons and excavators.
In the Upper West, police seized 11 changfang machines and three motorbikes, while the Western Central Command arrested 85 suspects and retrieved 11 excavators.
The Eastern North Command also arrested 15 individuals, including one Chinese national, and seized mining equipment and a pistol.
In total, the operation led to the recovery of a wide array of equipment, including bulldozers, firearms, changfangs, gold detectors, and pumping machines.
All suspects are currently undergoing legal processes.
The Police Service reaffirmed its commitment to tackling illegal mining and urged the public to support ongoing efforts to safeguard the environment and preserve national resources.
