Seventeen people have been arrested and mining equipment seized in a renewed police crackdown on illegal mining (galamsey) in Ghana’s Western Central Region.
The early morning operations took place on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in the mining-prone communities of Adamaso and Wassa Mamieso; areas where local rivers and farmlands have been increasingly threatened by illegal mining activities.
Among those arrested in Adamaso were young men aged between 19 and 45, including Abraham Antwi, 26, and George Amoah, 45. Police also seized five industrial water-pumping machines believed to have been used for mining operations.
In a separate intelligence-led raid near the Mamie River in Wassa Mamieso, five more suspects—among them 19-year-old Samuel Kwarteng and 30-year-old Seidu Ayigbe; were apprehended. A critical piece of equipment, a “Sunny Excavator 215 Control Board,” was recovered at the scene.
“All suspects are currently in police custody assisting with investigations. The retrieved items have been retained as evidence.” said a police spokesperson
The police reaffirmed their commitment to continuing anti-galamsey operations in the region, stressing the need to protect Ghana’s environment and water bodies from further degradation.
