The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), in collaboration with the Blue Water Guards, carried out a coordinated operation to clamp down on illegal mining activities within the Nzema East District.

The exercise forms part of ongoing national efforts to protect critical water bodies and enforce environmental regulations.

The initial phase of the operation focused on a large illegal mining site at Dualle along the Ankobra River. Upon arrival, the taskforce found the site deserted, with operators believed to have fled ahead of the team’s arrival after removing visible equipment.

However, a detailed search uncovered a new tactic employed by the miners, concealing changfan machines underground to evade detection.

The taskforce excavated the hidden equipment and successfully destroyed all retrieved machines, highlighting the increasingly sophisticated methods being adopted by illegal miners.

In a subsequent operation at Banso, the taskforce encountered an estimated 50 illegal miners actively working near the Ankobra River.

The miners were operating dangerously close to the river, approximately five meters away, with clear signs of direct discharge of mining waste into the water body, contributing to its pollution.

The team identified and immobilised a Shantui excavator at the site by removing its control board and monitor. Additionally, about ten improvised floating platforms mounted with changfan machines were discovered on a nearby pond.

The taskforce proceeded to destroy approximately 50 changfan machines, effectively disrupting operations at the site.

The operation marks a significant blow to illegal mining activities in the area and reaffirms the commitment of NAIMOS and its partner agencies to safeguarding Ghana’s environment and water resources.

It also underscores the persistent nature of galamsey operations and the evolving strategies being adopted by perpetrators, reinforcing the need for sustained enforcement, intelligence-led interventions, and community cooperation in the fight against illegal mining.