The Ghana Police Service has arrested 208 suspects and seized 99 excavators in a series of intelligence-led anti-galamsey operations targeting illegal mining across five regions since March 2025, authorities announced on May 13, 2025. The operations, aimed at curbing the environmental devastation caused by galamsey, also recovered three bulldozers, four pump-action guns, three single-barrel guns, one pistol, 11 changfans, and various vehicles, motorbikes, and mining equipment.In the Western Region, a major operation in Samreboi, along the Tano River, Wassa Dunkwa, and Tigarikrom, led to 58 arrests, including 50 Ghanaians and eight Chinese nationals, with 85 excavators and three bulldozers seized. The Western Central Regional Police Command arrested 85 suspects, comprising 76 Ghanaians and nine Chinese, and retrieved 11 excavators.
The Western Regional Police Command apprehended 19 suspects and seized three excavators and three pump-action guns. In the Eastern North Region, 15 suspects, including one Chinese national, were arrested, with four excavator control boards, nine monitors, and one pistol recovered. Additional operations in other regions contributed to the total tally.The Ghana Police Service stated that all suspects are being processed through the legal system, with some already arraigned and remanded. The operations follow a reshuffle of police commanders in galamsey-prone areas, including the Eastern, Western, and Western North regions, to bolster enforcement. The crackdown reflects the government’s renewed commitment to combating illegal mining, which has polluted rivers like the Pra and Ankobra, destroyed forests, and threatened public health.Authorities emphasized their resolve to protect Ghana’s natural resources, with ongoing investigations likely to lead to further arrests and seizures. The public has been assured of sustained efforts to dismantle galamsey networks and preserve the environment.