The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), in collaboration with National Security, has apprehended a group of 10 foreign nationals involved in illegal gold trading in the Western Region.

The coordinated operation also led to the seizure of 12 pump-action shotguns, ammunition, calibration equipment, large sums of cash, and quantities of gold.

This development comes just days after GoldBod warned against trading in gold without a valid license issued under its new regulatory framework.

The Chief Executive Officer of GoldBod, Sammy Gyamfi, announced the official commencement of the new gold licensing regime, which revokes all gold trading licenses previously issued under the former Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC).

Speaking at a press conference on June 30, 2025, Sammy Gyamfi emphasised that all old licenses became invalid after the non-extendable deadline of June 21, 2025.

He warned that any gold trading activities conducted without the new GoldBod license are now considered illegal.

“If you are not licensed by the Ghana Gold Board, you are committing a crime if you buy gold or engage in any form of gold trading. We will no longer continue to respect the licenses issued under the old regime,” he firmly stated.

He further stressed that the era of illegal gold trading has come to an end, adding that PMMC licenses or those previously issued by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources are no longer recognized under the current legal framework.