Five individuals have been taken into custody following a police operation targeting illegal mining activities in Ghana’s Central North Region.
The arrests, confirmed by the Central North Regional Police Command, were made on April 7, 2025, during a coordinated raid by the Special Anti-Galamsey Taskforce.
The suspects include two Ghanaian nationals—Duut Kwabena Sakakba, aged 38, and Douglas Nyamekye, aged 36—as well as three Chinese nationals identified as Ma Jian, 37, Ma Young, 31, and Ma Haibi, 54. All five are currently being held in police custody and are expected to be processed for court in the coming days.
During the operation, law enforcement officers discovered two heavy-duty excavators in active use at the site. The equipment, bearing chassis numbers SY 6HK1-XABEA-01-C3 and SWE365E00762, had been left behind after the operators reportedly fled with the ignition keys. Investigators are working to trace the ownership of the machinery.
Authorities also impounded a Toyota Hilux pick-up truck with registration number GE 2743-13, which was found at the scene and is now part of ongoing evidence collection.
The operation is part of broader efforts to combat illegal mining, often referred to locally as “galamsey,” which continues to pose significant environmental and social challenges in various parts of the country. Police say additional operations are expected as they intensify efforts to curb these activities.
Illegal mining remains a critical issue across Ghana, undermining sustainable land use and water conservation. Law enforcement agencies, supported by regional taskforces, are increasingly adopting proactive and targeted strategies to dismantle unregulated operations that flout national mining laws and environmental regulations.
