A joint team comprising National Security personnel and the Ghana Police Service executed a targeted raid on an illegal mining site located within the Atiwa Forest in the Eastern Region. According to a Citi Newsroom report, the operation resulted in the arrest of twelve suspects who were allegedly engaged in unauthorized mining activities also known as galamsey. The task force conducted the exercise as part of the broader Operation Halt mandate which seeks to remove illegal miners from forest reserves and river banks.
During the operation, security officials seized several pieces of heavy equipment used for excavation purposes. A report from GhanaWeb indicates that the task force moved in after receiving intelligence regarding active mining sites deep within the protected forest area. The confiscated items include excavators and power generators which were reportedly being used to wash gold ore and excavate large pits near water sources.
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has previously stated that the government remains committed to protecting the Atiwa Forest due to its status as a critical watershed. While the specific identities of the twelve detainees have not been publicly released by the Ghana Police Service, officials confirmed that the suspects were transported to a regional police facility for further interrogation and processing for court.
The suspects remain in police custody pending formal charges related to the Minerals and Mining Act. A Daily Graphic report notes that recent intensifications of Operation Halt have led to several such arrests across the Eastern and Ashanti Regions. Authorities have indicated that the seized machinery will be held as evidence while investigations continue into the degree of environmental damage caused at the site.