A dawn operation led by the Ashanti Region Anti-Galamsey Taskforce has resulted in the seizure of thirteen excavators and the arrest of several individuals involved in illegal mining activities in the Adansi enclave.
According to Captain (Retired) John Kwame Jabari, the leader of the taskforce, the exercise was their most effective to date.
He noted that every machine and suspect targeted in their reconnaissance was accounted for during the raid.
He credited the success to a revised strategy that has improved their operational effectiveness.
The operation forms part of a broader plan to protect critical water bodies and farmlands, particularly cocoa plantations, from destruction caused by illegal mining.
The team says it is currently focusing efforts on reclaiming forest reserves and halting further environmental damage.
Residents of Adansi have been instrumental in the operation’s success. Captain Jabari disclosed that most of the intelligence that leads to arrests is provided by locals who are concerned about the long-term impact of the mining activities on their communities.
He added that the taskforce has adjusted its tactics multiple times to outsmart illegal miners, and the new approach has proven more effective. Authorities are warning those still engaging in illegal mining to desist or risk arrest and prosecution.
Large portions of the Adansi area have already been heavily damaged by illegal operations, making this latest intervention a critical part of ongoing national efforts to combat galamsey.