A Rapid Response Team (RRT) has arrested 24 suspected illegal miners in a dawn operation at the Atewa Range Forest, as part of ongoing efforts to clamp down on illicit mining activities.
The operation, carried out around 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at Sagyimase, involved 30 personnel drawn from six teams across the country.
Authorities said the coordinated swoop targeted illegal mining camps deep within the forest reserve.
“A total of 24 suspects were arrested during the operation, although several others managed to escape,” an official involved in the exercise said.
The teams also destroyed equipment and structures believed to have been used for illegal mining. Sixteen water pumping machines were burned at the site, while two additional machines were seized and transported to the district office as evidence.
In addition, 52 makeshift structures constructed with poly sheets were dismantled and set ablaze.
The suspects are currently being processed at the Kyebi District Office and are expected to be handed over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The Atewa Range Forest, a critical ecological zone and water source, has been under increasing threat from illegal mining, locally known as galamsey.
Authorities said that such operations will continue as part of a broader strategy to protect the country’s natural resources.
