The Special Anti-Galamsey Task Force, established by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to clamp down on illegal mining activities, has seized two heavy-duty excavators during a recent operation in the Ashanti Region.
The 37-member unit, led by ASP Bawah Abdul Jalil, conducted the operation on Friday, August 22, 2025, after acting on reliable intelligence about illegal mining activities within the Dwendwenase Forest Reserve in the Asante Akim South Municipality. The task force deployed six service vehicles for the raid, which targeted suspected sites where illegal miners including foreign nationals, reportedly of Chinese origin had been operating.
Upon arrival, the suspects abandoned their equipment and fled into the forest to avoid arrest. The officers discovered two excavators at the scene; one was operational and successfully loaded onto a low-bed carrier, while the second, which was faulty, could not be moved.
On their return to base at Patase, the task force received further intelligence about another excavator hidden inside a cocoa farm at Atta Ne Atta, a nearby village. The machine had been deliberately disabled by its operator to frustrate seizure efforts, but engineers attached to the team managed to restart and transport it to the task force base.
Both excavators are now secured at the Patase operational center while investigations continue. Authorities have hinted that the machines may be handed over to the state or auctioned, in line with Ghana’s anti-galamsey enforcement regulations.
ASP Abdul Jalil emphasized that the task force will continue to pursue illegal miners who persist in destroying Ghana’s forests, rivers, and farmlands. He noted that the Dwendwenase Forest Reserve, like many others across the country, has suffered significant degradation as a result of galamsey operations, with water bodies heavily polluted by mercury and other harmful chemicals.
The task force has also appealed to chiefs, assembly members, and community leaders to provide timely information on suspicious activities and to discourage youth from engaging in illegal mining. “The fight against galamsey is not just a government initiative; it requires the support and cooperation of the public to protect our environment for future generations,” the statement stressed.
Illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, remains one of Ghana’s most pressing environmental and economic challenges, causing deforestation, destruction of cocoa farms, and contamination of rivers such as the Pra, Offin, and Ankobra, which serve as critical sources of water for millions.
