The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAiMOS) has unleashed a sweeping crackdown on “Gangway,” a notorious stronghold for illegal mining and criminal activity in Aboso, located within the Prestea-Huni Valley District of Ghana’s Western Region.
In the early hours of Monday, October 5, 2025, a heavily armed NAiMOS Task Force stormed the enclave, tearing down makeshift shanties that had long served as safe havens for illegal miners, drug dealers, and gamblers. The coordinated raid sent thick plumes of smoke into the dawn sky as wooden structures and mining equipment were set ablaze.
The shock of the operation rippled through the area, prompting many residents—allegedly involved in galamsey and other illicit trades—to surrender peacefully to authorities. Dozens reportedly handed themselves over without resistance.
During the raid, operatives seized several parcels of hard drugs, including 11 wraps of Indian hemp, exposing the deep-rooted links between illegal mining and narcotics trafficking in the community’s underground economy.
This decisive action follows an earlier warning in June 2025, when NAiMOS operatives cautioned illegal miners and criminal gangs to vacate the area. Despite repeated appeals from traditional authorities, including the Chiefs of Aboso, unlawful activities persisted, prompting this latest intervention.
The crackdown didn’t end in Aboso. NAiMOS teams also extended their reach to the Dadwen-Dompim stretch in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, where they seized or destroyed 15 water-pumping machines, a generator, and three Chanfangs used for illegal mining. Several unauthorized mining structures were also demolished.
Officials from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources stated that this operation is part of the government’s intensified campaign to eradicate galamsey, reclaim degraded lands, and restore law and order across the Western Region.
The successful raid stands as a powerful reaffirmation of NAiMOS’s resolve to dismantle illegal mining networks, disrupt criminal economies, and protect Ghana’s natural resources for future generations.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
