The fight against illegal mining in the Ashanti Region took a dramatic turn on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, when the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) foiled a bribery attempt by three suspected galamsey operators in the Bekwai Municipality.
The NAIMOS task force, continuing its crackdown on galamsey, returned to the Edwinase and Kokotro sites, locations previously targeted for illegal mining. At Kokotro, the team uncovered an active galamsey operation perilously close to the town, raising concerns for public safety, property, and the environment.
During the operation, the task force dismantled makeshift structures and destroyed industrial pumping machines and other illegal mining equipment. They also seized a Liugong excavator, two Liugong monitors, and an unregistered motorcycle as evidence.
As the team made their way back to base, three men, Emmanuel Koblah, Samuel Addai, and Kofi Frimpong, approached them in a Black Tundra F150 with registration GR 4743–16. Claiming to own the Kokotro site, the men attempted to bribe the task force with GHC 119,825.00 in a bid to reclaim their seized equipment.
The task force immediately rejected the offer, arresting the trio on the spot and handing them over to the Bekwai Police Station for further investigation and prosecution. The attempted bribe, the excavator monitors, and the vehicle have all been secured at NAIMOS headquarters as evidence.
NAIMOS issued a stern warning to all illegal miners and their associates: any attempt to bribe officers will result in swift arrest and prosecution. The Secretariat also called on local authorities and security agencies to intensify surveillance of previously raided sites to prevent a resurgence of illegal mining activities.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com