Anti-galamsey task force seizes 3 excavators
The Anti-Galamsey Task Force, based at Manso-Adubia in the Ashanti Region, has impounded three excavators in the space of three days.
A police report said during the latest operation, the team took note of the fact that Tuesday was observed as a rest day for illegal miners operating in Manso-Adubia and its surrounding areas.
Taking advantage of this pattern, the task force strategically selected the day to conduct operations in areas alleged to be heavily involved in illegal mining activities.
The team, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Bawah Abdul Jalil, was made up of 45 personnel, deployed in six service vehicles.
Equipment
As part of the mission, it said, the team proceeded to Adobewura, a suburb of Nyinahin in the Atwima Mponua District.
“Despite the team’s swift and coordinated approach, intelligence gathered indicated that the illegal miners had received prior notice of the operation and had vacated the site before the team’s arrival.
“However, one excavator was found actively working at the mining site,” he said, adding that the equipment was impounded, loaded onto a low-bed carrier, and transported to the base at Manso-Adubia for safekeeping and further investigation”.
In a related development, the task force last Saturday impounded two excavators at Dwendwenase, a suburb of Juaso, the capital of the Asante Akim South Municipality.
The operation was based on intelligence reports indicating that Chinese nationals had invaded parts of the Dwendwenase Forest Reserve, where they were actively engaged in illegal mining activities.
In its report, the police said the team entered the targeted area and, upon noticing the presence of the task force, the suspects fled the scene, abandoning two excavators.
During a recent forum, the task force appealed to registered and unregistered miners to collaborate with the team to win the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
It also called on all miners to operate within the parameters of the law to safeguard the environment.
The call was made by the leader of the team, ASP Jalil, at a stakeholders' engagement at Manso-Adubia in the Ashanti Region.
