NAIMOS cripples Galamsey operations in Eastern Region after 12-hour raid

The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has strengthened its sustained campaign against illegal mining with yet another high-impact enforcement exercise across the Eastern Region on Sunday, 8 December 2025.

The latest operation lasting more than 12 hours—reinforced government’s heightened commitment to stopping the ongoing destruction of forest reserves, farmlands and water bodies. From first light until late evening, NAIMOS operatives carried out intensive patrols in the Atiwa West District and the Birim Central Municipality, two locations that have suffered repeated incursions by illegal miners.

During the mission, the task force uncovered several active galamsey sites and took swift action to disable the machinery driving the environmental degradation.

A significant breakthrough occurred along the Akyem Akropong stretch, where enforcement teams detected a large, makeshift mining hub situated perilously close to the roadside. The area hosted four excavators and five washing plants. Two of the excavators were found fully operational, prompting NAIMOS personnel to immediately extract their monitors and control systems to render them useless. The remaining two had already been partially dismantled by miners attempting to avoid arrest and seizure.

The operation recorded another major find at around 16:10 hours in Akyem Oda, within the Birim Central Municipality. Officers disabled an additional excavator positioned directly beside a main access road. In all, three excavators were fully immobilised during the day’s assignment. Due to the absence of low-bed transport, the machinery was left at the respective locations under secure supervision.

Environmental assessments conducted by NAIMOS during the sweep revealed extensive damage. More than four acres of land had been ravaged by deep, polluted pits, many of which were filled with contaminated water. Some of the craters, officials reported, stretched as wide as 200 metres and plunged nearly eight feet deep—posing immediate threats to nearby farms, streams and communities.

Intelligence gathered by the Secretariat indicates that illegal miners are continually adjusting their tactics, often vacating sites temporarily during operations and relocating equipment only a short distance away. This behaviour, NAIMOS says, highlights the need for sustained and consistent pressure rather than periodic raids.

Nevertheless, the Secretariat notes that its increased visibility, rapid response and wider territorial coverage are beginning to disrupt galamsey networks across the region. Many miners reportedly abandon operations mid-way, interrupting supply lines and weakening the systems that feed illegal gold production.

NAIMOS reiterates that its mission is far from over. With critical rivers—including the Birim and Ayensu—still under severe ecological threat, prolonged deployment and persistent enforcement remain vital. The Secretariat maintains that illegal mining is not only an environmental menace but a grave public health risk, contaminating food and water sources with harmful chemicals.