Nineteen illegal miners have been apprehended in the Bonsa River Forest Reserve by the Rapid Response Team (RRT) and employees of the Forest Services Division (FSD) in the Tarkwa District of the Western Region.
The arrests took place at Aboso North Range on Friday, June 28, 2024, according to a statement from the Forestry Commission’s Corporate Affairs and Media Relations office.
This operation came after one on June 12, 2024, in which the same woodland reserve saw the arrest of 11 people.
The suspects were handed over to the Tarkwa Police for further investigation and prosecution. On June 12, 2024, 11 suspects (10 men and 1 woman) were arrested and remanded, with their cases sent to the Attorney General for advice.
There are 21 pending illegal mining cases involving over 111 suspects in the region, currently at various stages of prosecution at Sekondi High Court 2 and Takoradi Circuit Court.
The Forestry Commission appealed to the judiciary to expedite forest offense cases and warned against illegal mining.
On June 28, 2024, two excavators and one motorbike were immobilized in the Apamprama Forest Reserve. No arrests were made as the culprits fled. Illegal miners in the area have resorted to nighttime activities, prompting the Commission to increase night patrols and intelligence-led operations.
To protect the forest and wildlife resources, the Forestry Commission employees in the Bekwai Forest District are still dedicated to fighting the threat of illicit mining.
In order to stop additional environmental damage, the statement advised unlawful operators to stay out of the Apamprama Forest Reserve and other reserves.
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