The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has arrested ten heavily armed Chinese nationals suspected of engaging in illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, at Abusa in the Ashanti Region.
The arrests were carried out on October 23, 2025, during a joint intelligence-led operation conducted by NAIMOS in collaboration with the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC).
The operation forms part of a broader national effort to dismantle illegal mining networks operating within the Oda River Forest Reserve.
In a statement, NAIMOS revealed that the task force also apprehended nine armed men who falsely presented themselves as National Security operatives.
The impostors, dressed in khaki uniforms, claimed they were acting on the orders of a man identified as “Major Jabari.”
A search conducted on the Chinese galamseyers uncovered a pistol loaded with three rounds of ammunition, a toy pistol, a pump-action shotgun, several cartridges, and a pair of handcuffs. All items were seized as evidence.
During the same exercise, officers intercepted a group that allegedly attempted to bribe them with GH₵120,000 to secure the release of the detained illegal miners. The individuals involved in the bribery attempt were immediately arrested.
The operation also led to the discovery of a hidden settlement deep within the forest, where the illegal miners had built makeshift wooden structures and tents to support their activities. NAIMOS officials said the site was dismantled, and all equipment destroyed to prevent reoccupation.
Additional items, including vehicles, refrigerators, and rounds of ammunition, were also confiscated.
Authorities confirmed that all suspects are currently in custody as investigations continue to uncover the full scope of their operations and identify possible collaborators.
On Wednesday, 8 October 2025, NAIMOS, as part of the crackdown on illegal mining, arrested two Chinese nationals and intercepted a group of Burkinabè workers during separate anti-galamsey operations in the Western North and Western Regions.
The arrests of the Chinese galamseyers and the Burkinabè workers followed an intelligence-led operation when the Task Force stormed the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve in Jomoro after reports of illegal mining activities along the Tano River.
