Two Chinese Nationals Arrested as NAIMOS Cracks Down on Illegal Mining in Western North and Western Regions
The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has arrested two Chinese nationals and intercepted several Burkinabè workers in a series of coordinated anti-galamsey operations conducted in the Western North and Western Regions on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
The operations were triggered by intelligence reports of illegal mining activities within the Tano Anwia Forest Reserve in Jomoro. Upon arrival, operatives initially faced resistance from some Forest Guards, but eventually gained access to the reserve, where they uncovered an active mining site along the Tano River.
During the raid, a Toyota Land Cruiser V8 attempted to flee the scene, but two Chinese nationals on board were apprehended while a third suspect escaped. The Task Force immobilised four excavators, discovered evidence of river diversion, and destroyed 12 makeshift mining camps.
Other items retrieved included GH¢10,050 in cash, mobile phones, two-way radios, fuel drums, control panels, and two high-powered water pumps. NAIMOS confirmed that the arrested Chinese nationals had been transferred to Accra for further investigations.
Preliminary findings suggest that the suspects were operating under the guise of a community mining project allegedly sanctioned by Nana Kwame Nkansah, the local chief of Jomoro. Authorities believe the two Chinese nationals acted as financiers, providing funding and logistics for the illegal mining operations.
In a statement, NAIMOS warned that it would intensify its crackdown on both local and foreign financiers of illegal mining, stating that “no one will be spared if found complicit.”
Meanwhile, in a related operation at Essipong near Asankrangwa, NAIMOS operatives inspected Bugart Mining, where several Burkinabè nationals were discovered working at a site near the Kwama stream and a major road.
Although the company’s representatives claimed to possess a valid mining licence issued in 2012, officials questioned the legality of employing foreign workers without proper documentation. A CAT excavator was immobilised on-site, and the company was directed to report to the NAIMOS headquarters in Accra on Thursday, October 9, along with all Burkinabè workers, for verification and further investigation.
The operation underscores government’s renewed commitment to eradicating illegal mining and safeguarding the nation’s natural resources from environmental degradation and exploitation.
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