The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), in collaboration with National Security Secretariat Ghana and other stakeholders, has intercepted 1,070 Chanfang mining machines concealed in separate shipping containers at Tema Port.

The seizure, carried out on the night of Tuesday, March 3, 2026, follows a similar operation conducted weeks earlier in which more than 200 Chanfang machines were discovered hidden in 14 containers at the same port.

EPA officials described the latest interception as significant, noting that the equipment was allegedly destined for mining districts across the country.

According to the authority, the growing influx of Chanfang machines has heightened concerns about environmental damage linked to illegal and unregulated mining activities.

The EPA has, therefore, intensified surveillance and monitoring of such imports as part of broader efforts to combat environmental degradation and protect Ghana’s water resources.

The crackdown aligns with the authority’s ongoing river restoration initiatives.

Recently, the EPA began a pilot intervention on the River Birim in the Eastern Region, deploying ionic nano-copper technology to treat pollution along the waterway at an estimated cost of $200,000 per kilometre.

Officials say Chanfang machines play a major role in the destruction of water bodies, particularly through activities associated with illegal mining.

The EPA has reiterated its resolve to prevent the unlawful importation and use of such equipment, stressing that it will continue to work with security agencies to enforce environmental regulations and protect the country’s natural resources.