By Peter Quao Adattor
A coordinated police operation in the Bono Region has led to the arrest of 31 individuals, including 15 Chinese nationals and 16 Ghanaians, suspected of engaging in illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
The arrests followed a targeted security swoop in areas around Wenchi, Branam, Subinso, and the Tain forest enclave on June 4, 2025. The suspects were arraigned and remanded into custody for two weeks pending further investigations.
Briefing the media, the Bono Regional Police Commander, DCOP Yaw Tetegah, said the operation was part of a broader strategy to clamp down on illegal mining and related criminal activities in the region.
“We retrieved eight excavators, four pump-action guns, and several other items during the operation,” DCOP Tetegah revealed.
The police are collaborating with the Ghana Immigration Service to determine the immigration status of the Chinese nationals involved.
Currently, 78 police officers have been deployed to monitor the affected areas, map hotspots, and prevent illegal miners from returning. Authorities say efforts are being made to sustain the crackdown with ongoing community engagement and intelligence gathering.
DCOP Tetegah also noted a worrying trend of drug abuse and illegal weapons possession in the illegal mining zones, which he described as a serious security threat.
“We’ve changed our strategy and are deploying more vehicles to hotspots like Sunyani, Berekum, and the Fiapre enclave to tackle not just illegal mining but also armed robbery,” he said.
In a show of community support, the Member of Parliament for Sunyani West recently donated a vehicle to aid police operations.
The police are appealing to the public for timely and accurate information to help sustain the gains made.
“We cannot fight crime alone. The criminals live within our communities. We need the public’s support to locate and stop them,” the Commander emphasised.
By Peter Quao Adattor
