Security forces have conducted a significant raid on suspected illegal mining operations in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region, recovering several weapons and ammunition. The Ghana Police Service confirmed the operation, which forms part of the government’s ongoing efforts to curb illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as galamsey, and associated unlawful activities.
The operation, carried out over the weekend, involved a joint team comprising personnel from the Ghana Police Service, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Secretariat (NAIMS), and other partner agencies. The security team acted on credible intelligence suggesting that armed individuals were using mining areas to store and trade illegal weapons.
During the raid, officers combed multiple suspected galamsey sites in the district, uncovering a number of firearms and live ammunition hidden at these locations. The recovered items included both locally made guns and more sophisticated weapons, along with ammunition believed to be compatible with the seized firearms. Other items potentially used in mining-related criminal acts were also confiscated.
While the operation did not result in major violent clashes, police noted that some suspects fled into dense bushland upon sighting security personnel. Officers intensified their search, leading to arrests. However, official records detailing the names or exact number of suspects were not immediately available.
The Ghana Police Service highlighted that the recovery of weapons at galamsey sites underscores the complex and dangerous nature of illegal mining zones. These areas are often exploited by criminal elements who use remote locations to evade law enforcement and engage in various unlawful activities beyond unregulated mineral extraction.
The Western Regional Police Commander has appealed to the public and local communities to provide credible information that could assist law enforcement in identifying and apprehending individuals linked to both illegal mining and the unlawful possession of firearms.