In a significant development in Ghana's fight against illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has exposed an armed foreign syndicate operating within the country's forest reserves. The operation, which involved intelligence and security agencies, led to the arrest of several suspects and the seizure of weapons and mining equipment.
According to verified reports, the syndicate comprised foreign nationals who were heavily armed and engaged in illegal mining activities in the Apamprama Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region. The operation, which took place in early April 2026, resulted in the arrest of Chinese and Nigerian nationals. Authorities confiscated multiple firearms, ammunition, excavators, and other mining machinery from the site.
The National Security Ministry confirmed the operation, stating it underscores the government's renewed commitment to protecting Ghana's natural resources and environment from the devastating effects of illegal mining. The Ministry warned that such armed groups pose a direct threat to national security and the safety of local communities.
This crackdown is part of the government's "Operation Halt II" initiative, a sustained military-led effort to eradicate illegal mining along river bodies and in forest reserves. The exposure of this armed foreign network highlights the increasingly sophisticated and dangerous nature of the illegal mining trade in the region.
