Wassa Esaman:Twenty-six suspected illegal miners have been apprehended by the Forestry Commission’s Anti-Rapid Response Unit at Wassa Esaman in the Western Region. The suspects were reportedly operating deep inside a forest where they had established a mini-community.
According to Ghana Web, the community included vendors selling items and sheds built to serve as homes. The arrest operation was captured on video, showing the suspects being subjected to physical force by the task force. Some miners reportedly resisted arrest and were physically restrained by heavily armed officers who placed them in handcuffs.
The video, shared by GTV on X, also depicted most of the arrested suspects covered in sand and wearing protective gear, indicating they may have been actively mining when the task force arrived unannounced. Women and young children at the site were also rounded up, and some men had their amulets and charms removed.
Additionally, several tricycles, motorcycles, and cars, mostly saloon cars, were destroyed during the operation. The motorcycles were specifically burnt, and the tyres of other vehicles were deflated. The task force also demolished the sheds that had been used as homes by the suspected illegal miners.