Forestry Commission’s Rapid Response and District Monitoring Teams have arrested 12 illegal miners and seized an excavator and two gold detector machines in the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve.
The operation, carried out on March 11, 2025, targeted Compartments 17 and 63 of the forest reserve, which has been plagued by intense illegal mining activities.
Among the arrested individuals were three Chinese nationals – Cheng Yung, 48, Yangedon, 40, and Lengtar, 45 – who were allegedly using an excavator for illegal mining, commonly referred to as “galamsey”, in Compartment 17. Nine Ghanaian suspects were also arrested while engaging in “dig and wash” activities in Compartment 63.
The suspects have been handed over to the Enchi District Police Command for further investigations and prosecution. Meanwhile, the Forestry Commission is making arrangements to move the seized excavator to the Enchi Municipal Assembly premises for safekeeping.
This latest operation follows a similar exercise carried out on March 9, 2025, when the Forestry Commission, in collaboration with 30 military personnel, seized eight excavators, one bulldozer, and a pump-action rifle in Compartments 17 and 20.
The Enchi Forest District Manager, Mr. Joseph Appiah Frimpong, emphasized the Forestry Commission’s commitment to fighting illegal mining and logging in Ghana’s forest reserves. “The Forestry Commission will not relent in its efforts to protect our natural resources,” he warned, adding that those caught engaging in illegal mining could face imprisonment, fines, or both if found guilty in court.
The Tano Anwia Forest Reserve remains a high-risk area for illegal mining, and authorities have vowed to intensify their operations to safeguard the environment from further degradation.
