In a determined effort to clamp down on illegal mining, the Ghana Police Service has arrested 39 suspects in two separate intelligence-led operations conducted in the Tano Nimiri and Subri forests.
The most recent operation, carried out yesterday, April 18, 2025, led to the arrest of 10 individuals suspected of engaging in illegal mining activities in the Tano Nimiri forest near Samreboi.
During the raid, eleven (11) excavators and one (1) bulldozer were found at the site and have since been impounded. Police say efforts are ongoing to remove the heavy-duty equipment from the forest into secure custody.
Just a day earlier, on April 17, police carried out a similar operation in the Subri forest and along the banks of the Tano River. This raid resulted in the arrest of 29 suspects — 21 Ghanaians and 8 Chinese nationals.
In that operation, six (6) excavators, four (4) motorbikes, two (2) Toyota Hilux pickups, and one (1) Toyota RAV4 were seized. Police also recovered four (4) pump-action guns, one (1) single-barrel gun, 54 live BB cartridges, and eight (8) water pumping machines suspected to have been used in the illegal mining activities.
All suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to be processed for court as investigations continue.
The Ghana Police Service has reiterated its commitment to collaborating with other security and environmental agencies to fight the menace of illegal mining, which continues to threaten the country’s water bodies and forest reserves.
