A joint police operation in the Western Region has resulted in the arrest of 26 individuals suspected of engaging in illegal mining activities within a protected forest near Samreboi.
The suspects include six Chinese nationals, two Koreans, and 18 Ghanaians.
The intelligence-led swoop, carried out by multiple units of the Ghana Police Service, uncovered eight excavators, firearms, and various mining tools at the site.
The location has been linked to Akonta Mining Company, reportedly owned by Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
Officers also found pump-action guns, machetes, and visibly polluted land and water bodies—evidence of the environmental degradation caused by the illegal activity.
Inspector General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno reaffirmed the police administration’s commitment to dismantling illegal mining networks and protecting Ghana’s natural resources.
The suspects are in custody, and further investigations are ongoing.
