The Ghana Police Service has arrested sixteen (16) suspects during an anti-illegal mining operation at Essuminya and Apraprama Forest Reserves in the Ashanti Region.
The joint operation, conducted on 19th June 2025, involved personnel drawn from the National Police Headquarters and the Manso Adubia District. The team embarked on the operation to clamp down on illegal mining activities within the forest reserves.
During the operation, sixteen suspects were arrested while actively engaging in illegal mining activities.
The suspects are, Kwesi Frimpong (52), Samuel Okyere (44), Jackson Nana Boafo (32), Saddick Abubakar (44), Collins Asare (35), Joshua Ofori (25), Emmanuel Akwesi (42), Augustine Mensah (38), Stephen Amoako (25), Vincent Ofori (30), Andrews Oppong (31), Nyaba Atonkoni (31), Stephen Kwabena Owusu (41), George Badji (28), Dorgumu Fredrick (24), and Cheke Chen (35), a foreign national.
Exhibits retrieved from the site include two (2) pump-action guns, pumping machines, four (4) excavator machine monitors and eight live BB cartridges. Efforts are underway to move the excavators from the forest to the police station.
The suspects are all in Police custody assisting investigations and will be put before the court.
