A joint anti-galamsey operation by the Forestry Commission has led to the arrest of eleven suspected illegal miners at the Pra Anum Forest Reserve in the Eastern Region.
The operation, carried out at dawn on Sunday, December 14, 2025, involved 28 officers from three Rapid Response Teams, supported by personnel from the Oda Forest District of the Forest Services Division (FSD). The suspects were arrested in Compartment 70 of the reserve at Banka.
Those arrested include eight Ghanaians and three Chinese nationals. The Ghanaian suspects identified themselves as Mohammed Mustapha (25), Aminu Moro (48), Owusu Emmanuel (28), Raymond Opoku Agyemang (32), Teye Joseph (32), Oduro Emmanuel (29), Aaron Oppong Gyebi (36), and Isaac Apana (32). The Chinese nationals were named as Jun Hunay (42), Wen Yong Feng (49), and Lu Zheng Zhan (37).
During the operation, officers seized two pick-up vehicles — a Toyota with registration number GW 4974-23 and a Great Wall with registration number GT 4189-25 — as well as eight excavators and an automatic pump-action gun.
All eleven suspects have been handed over to the Asante Akim Juaso District Police Command to assist with investigations and possible prosecution. The seized pick-up vehicles have meanwhile been conveyed to the Oda Forest District Office for safekeeping.