The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has apprehended two Chinese nationals and intercepted several Burkinabè workers during coordinated operations targeting illegal mining (galamsey) in the Western and Western North Regions.
The arrests occurred on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, following intelligence reports of unlawful mining within the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve in Jomoro.
Initial access to the forest was reportedly blocked by some Forest Guards, but NAIMOS operatives eventually entered the area, uncovering an active mining site along the Tano River.
During the raid, a Toyota Land Cruiser V8 attempted to flee the scene. Two Chinese nationals inside the vehicle were arrested, while a third suspect escaped.
On-site, the Task Force found four excavators — three had already been immobilized, and the fourth was disabled during the operation. Evidence of environmental damage, including river diversion, was also observed, alongside two high-powered water pumps and 12 makeshift mining shelters, all of which were dismantled or destroyed.
Items recovered included GH¢10,050 in cash, mobile phones, two-way radios, fuel drums, and control panels. The Chinese suspects were transferred to Accra for further investigation.
Preliminary findings suggest the group was operating under the guise of a community mining project allegedly endorsed by Nana Kwame Nkansah, the local chief of Jomoro. The Chinese nationals are believed to be financiers, supplying funding and equipment for the illegal mining activities.
In a statement, NAIMOS reaffirmed its commitment to cracking down on illegal mining, warning that both local and foreign perpetrators would face consequences, stating, “no one will be spared if found complicit.”
In a related operation at Essipong, near Asankrangwa in the Western Region, NAIMOS operatives visited a site operated by Bugart Mining. Several Burkinabè nationals were found working near the Kwama stream and a major roadway.
Although the company claimed to hold a valid mining license issued in 2012, authorities raised concerns about the employment of foreign nationals without proper documentation.
A CAT excavator at the scene was disabled, and the company was instructed to report to the NAIMOS headquarters in Accra on Thursday, October 9, along with the foreign workers, for verification and further investigation.
