Galamsey Crackdown: Security Forces Seize 10 Excavators, Bulldozer in Tano Anwia Forest
Joint security operation intensifies efforts to combat illegal mining in Ghana’s Tano Anwia Forest Reserve, leading to multiple arrests and equipment seizures.
- Security forces confiscate 10 excavators and a bulldozer in a crackdown on illegal mining
- Four individuals apprehended as authorities push to reclaim the forest reserve
- Despite resistance from armed miners, enforcement efforts continue to protect Ghana’s forests
The raid, conducted on Sunday, March 9, 2025, led to the arrest of four individuals involved in illegal mining within Compartments 17 and 20 of the reserve. This follows an earlier operation on March 4, where 12 excavators were removed from the area, though no arrests were made as the miners, reportedly armed, outnumbered the enforcement team.
Authorities had been tracking the miners’ movements and, based on intelligence, attempted to prevent their return on March 6.
However, by March 8, illegal miners had re-entered the forest, forcing another operation that initially failed due to resistance from heavily armed operators.
Determined to reclaim the reserve, the joint task force launched a final crackdown, successfully seizing the equipment. The confiscated machinery is being transported to the Enchi District Assembly, with a formal complaint filed at the Enchi District Police Command.
This latest enforcement highlights the government’s intensified efforts to combat illegal mining and protect Ghana’s forest reserves from destruction.
