The task force of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has apprehended four armed thugs actively engaged in illegal mining at Dominase in Nzema East of the Western Region.
The task force during its routine patrols on Wednesday, May 20 at about 1525 hours, sighted an illegal mining site operated along the Ankobra River in Dominase.
Upon arrival at the illegal mining site, the task force were confronted by four armed thugs wielding machetes and pump action guns.
These thugs were actively involved in the illegal mining activities at the site, also posed as security for the site.
The thugs resisted arrest and refused to surrender to the task force.
Rather, the armed thugs recklessly attempted to struggle with the task force to prevent their arrest.
However, the task force managed to subdue the armed thugs, leading to their arrest.
The names of the armed thugs arrested were as follows: Alpha Musa, 28, Rahaman Rojer, 29, Laji Bengali, 25, and Mohammed Agana, 25.
Having suppressed the armed thugs, the task force interrogated them to gather information about the activities at the area.
During the interrogation, the armed thugs claimed they were working under the authority of some National Security personnel whose names the thus gave as Ras, Mambo and Nana Teku, who were from Prestea.
The names have since been given to the police to assist with their investigations.
The activities of the thugs has caused massive destruction of lands and forests at the areas and significantly polluted the Ankobra River.
As part of the operations, the task force retrieved some items used in the illegal mining operations.
The items included pump action guns, machetes, water pumping machines and control boards of SDLG.
During the operations, the task force sighted two excavators at the site.
The two excavators were immobilized insitu and rendered ineffective by detaching their control boards due to immediate unavailability of low bed services.
Subsequently, the NAIMOS task force has handed over the four arrested armed thugs together with their mobile phones and Talisman to the Esiama District Police to assist with further investigations and prosecution.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Asiedu was the police officer of Esiama District Police received the four armed thugs.
NAIMOS continues to intensify its anti galamsey operations across the country despite the risk posed by armed thugs.
The Secretariat wishes to cautioned all galamseyers and armed thugs to desist from any resistance such as the aforementioned, as the task forces would not be deterred by such deliberate reckless actions.
NAIMOS is indeed encouraged by the continued support by the general public in sharing valuable intelligence which helps with its operations.