Four Chinese arrested for galamsey near Subin River; excavators and guns seized

The Ghana Police Service has arrested four Chinese nationals for allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities in the Adansi Asokwa District of the Ashanti Region.

In a statement issued on Saturday, June 29, 2025, the Ashanti South Regional Police Command said the arrests followed an intelligence-led operation carried out in collaboration with the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Development Fund, Dr Hanna Bisiw, and her team.

The suspects, Li Quan, aged 44; Lu Jianzheng, 36; Li Xuyu, 47; and Su Shanxing, 63, were picked up at an unauthorised mining site in Atatam, located along the banks of the Subin and Jimi Rivers.

Both rivers serve as crucial sources of drinking water for several communities in the area.

Seven excavators were retrieved from the site and placed in secure police custody. The police also seized three pump-action guns believed to have been in the possession of the suspects.

All four are currently in custody and are assisting with investigations.

The police said the operation forms part of ongoing efforts to clamp down on illegal mining, which continues to damage water bodies and farmlands across the country.

The Subin River, in particular, has seen rising levels of pollution and siltation in recent years, largely blamed on illegal mining operations.

A video circulating on social media shows Dr Bisiw leading a team of armed officers through a forested area, accompanied by four Chinese men presumed to be the arrested individuals.

The footage is believed to have been taken during the operation and has since attracted public interest over the enforcement approach to illegal mining.