Twenty-eight officers, drawn from three Rapid Response Teams, together with officers from the Oda Forest District of the Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission (FC), have arrested eleven suspects, made up of eight Ghanaians and three Chinese nationals, in a joint “anti-galamsey” swoop on the dawn of Sunday, December 14, 2025.
The arrest took place in compartment 70 of the Pra Anum Forest Reserve at Banka in the Oda Forest District of the Eastern Region.
Also, two pick-up vehicles (Toyota, with Registration Number GW 4974-23 and a Great Wall, with Registration Number GT 4189-25), eight excavators and one automatic pump action gun were seized.
The eight Ghanaians gave their names as Mohammed Mustapha, 25; Aminu Moro,48; Owusu Emmanuel, 28; Raymond Opoku Agyemang,32; Teye Joseph,32; Oduro Emmanuel,29; Aaron Oppong Gyebi,36; and Isaac Apana, 32.
The Chinese nationals were Jun Hunay,42; Wen Yong Feng, 49; and LU Zheng Zhan,37.
All 11 suspects have been handed over to the Asante Akim Juaso District Police Command for investigations and prosecution, while the two pick-up vehicles have been sent to the Oda Forest District Office for safekeeping.
Galamsey continues to pose a severe threat to Ghana’s natural resources, with the Pra Anum Forest Reserve being the latest victim.
Recent reports indicated that the forest, which is known for its rich biodiversity and ecological importance, has been severely degraded due to uncontrolled mining activities.
