The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), in collaboration with the Eastern Regional National Security Secretariat, has made a major breakthrough in the fight against illegal mining after uncovering and dismantling a deeply entrenched galamsey network operating along the Pra River.
The intelligence-led operation took place on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at about 9:30 a.m., targeting illegal mining activities along and directly on the Pra River between Ofoase Awona and Nsese in the Eastern Region.
The joint task force — made up of personnel from NAIMOS, National Security, and the Akyem Oda Blue Water Guards — began the operation at Akyem Ofoase Awona in the Akyemansa District. Officers reportedly trekked nearly 14 kilometres on foot through cocoa farms to reach the riverbank where the illegal operations were taking place.
Upon arrival, the team encountered about 50 illegal miners actively working on the river. However, on sighting the officers, the miners abandoned their equipment and fled by swimming across the Pra River toward Nsese Village to evade arrest.
Following their escape, the task force dismantled and destroyed all equipment found at the site. In total, 275 pieces of illegal mining equipment were destroyed, including:
75 dredging Changfang platforms
50 gold-washing platforms
150 Changfang machines, which were burnt on the riverbed
Several pipelines and water hoses connected directly to the Pra River were also destroyed.
As part of the exercise, the task force engaged residents of nearby communities, educating them on the environmental, health, and livelihood risks associated with illegal mining.
Residents expressed excitement over the operation and appealed for sustained enforcement efforts to help restore polluted water bodies and protect farming activities in the area.
Eastern Regional National Security Liaison Officer, Francis Annoh-Dompreh, described the operation as highly successful. He urged communities and individuals to provide timely and accurate information to security agencies to support the ongoing crackdown on illegal mining and safeguard river bodies and agricultural lands.
