National Security operatives have busted three Chinese nationals and a Ghanaian for allegedly undertaking illegal mining (galamsey) along the Pra River near Supom-Dunkwa in the Shama District of the Western Region.
The identities of the suspects have not been disclosed, but they were reportedly operating under the guise of sand-winning.
They have since been transferred to the Western Regional Police Command in Sekondi for further investigation.
Leading the operation, National Security operative Hashem Tankonu explained that those involved in illegal mining often use sand-winning as a facade for their activities.
“Behind the house at the corner, there is a galamsey set up there that you see that they are doing galamsey, but if you are not smart, you will be fooled by that facade of sand winning.
“But then in actual terms, they are doing the sand winning, and they are doing the galamsey alongside the sand winning, and you will not suspect it,” he stated.
This comes after eight illegal miners were apprehended for mining in the Potroase section of the Atewa Forest Reserve.
A joint effort by guards from the Forestry Commission at Kyebi and a local youth group from Potroase in the Eastern Region led to the apprehension of the suspects.
This development follows the recent action taken by the Rapid Response Unit of the Forestry Commission, which destroyed four excavators owned by a small-scale miner.
Isaac Noble Eshun, the Eastern Regional Director of the Forestry Commission, visited the scene of the arrests and stated that the operation occurred while the suspects were actively engaged in mining activities.
“On Sunday, we didn’t get the assistance of the police. However, a youth group in Potroase assisted the officer in charge and his men, and they were able to apprehend eight people who had encroached or entered into the forest reserve and had started mining,” he explained.
