Cocoa Farms Saved as Anti-Galamsey Team Seizes 13 Excavators

A dawn swoop by the Ashanti Regional Anti-Galamsey Taskforce has led to the arrest of several illegal miners and the seizure of 13 excavators in the Adansi enclave—a hotspot for illegal mining activities.

The operation, led by Captain (Rtd) John Kwame Jabari, is being described as the most successful crackdown since the anti-galamsey campaign began.

“Almost all the sites we visited, we were able to pick the machines and arrest the culprits involved in illegal mining activities,” Captain Jabari told the media.

Among the arrested individuals is a Chinese national, adding an international dimension to the operation.

The task force says a key reason for this success is the strategic changes made to their approach. “We’ve changed the modus operandi many times, but this time, we’ve been able to perfect it,” Captain Jabari explained.

This recent phase of the operation is focused on protecting critical resources—especially waterways and cocoa farms that have come under serious threat from illegal mining.

Parts of the Adansi area have seen large tracts of fertile farmland and forest reserves destroyed due to illegal operations, sparking concern among residents and farmers.

The success of the latest raid was in part due to community support. “Most of the time, it is not our own intelligence. The people report these illegalities to us, and we act on them,” the task force leader said, praising residents for their vigilance.

The seized excavators will be held as evidence, while those arrested are expected to face prosecution.

Authorities say this is just the beginning of a renewed effort to clamp down hard on illegal mining in the region.

The taskforce is warning all persons still involved in illegal mining to stop before they are caught.