14 illegal miners were arrested and have been remanded into prison custody

The Eastern South Regional Police Command of the Ghana Police Service has announced that fourteen (14) individuals arrested for engaging in illegal mining activities have been remanded into prison custody.

In a statement issued on Monday, May 19, 2025, on its official Facebook page, the police said that the arrests were made at Akyem Muoso following an operation.

“The Eastern South Regional Police Command, on 15th May 2025, arrested Fourteen (14) persons for illegal mining at Akyem Muoso in the Eastern Region,” the police said.

According to the statement, the fourteen (14) individuals were arraigned before the Koforidua Circuit Court B following their arrest to stand trial for their alleged crimes and were subsequently granted bail.

“The accused persons were arraigned before the Koforidua Circuit Court B on 16th May, 2025 and where each of them was granted bail in the sum of GHC350,000.00 with two sureties, one of whom is to be justified with movable property,” the statement added.

The operation also led to the retrieval of weapons, including an undocumented pump-action gun, as well as other mining equipment including excavators.

“At the time of the arrest, police retrieved a pump action gun from one of the suspects, Zuberu Nuhoho, who failed to produce documentation for the weapon. Two excavator control boards were also retrieved from the mining site,” the statement said in part.

The arrests and subsequent remand mark an important step in the government's efforts to combat illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey, which has caused extensive damage to water bodies and forest reserves.

Read the statement below:

MAG/VPO

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