The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has dismantled an illegal mining operation at Ahwiren in the Bekwai Municipality of the Ashanti Region, disabling six excavators, destroying pumping equipment and recovering firearms during an intelligence-led raid.
The operation, conducted by the NAIMOS Manso-Adubia Team between 4:30 a.m. and 11:10 a.m. on July 17, 2026, targeted an illegal mining site located along the headwaters of the Subin River, where unauthorised mining activities were being carried out on about 20 acres of farmland.
According to a situational report, the team acted on intelligence provided by an informant who alerted operatives to the ongoing illegal mining activities.
Excavators Disabled
Upon arriving at the site, the team found six excavators and four pumping engines actively being used for mining operations.
To halt the activities, officers removed five monitors and four control boards from five of the excavators, rendering them inoperable. The sixth excavator did not have a monitor or control board.
Operatives also seized two excavator ignition keys and set the four pumping engines on fire to prevent their further use.
Firearms Recovered
A search of the mining site led to the recovery of two Adler pump-action shotguns and 19 rounds of ammunition.
Investigators also discovered that the illegal miners had diverted the natural flow of the Subin River after blocking its headwaters to facilitate mining activities.
The site was located about 50 metres from the Ahwiren–Bekwai main road, raising concerns about the environmental impact of the operation and its proximity to public infrastructure.
Mining Without Approval
Further investigations revealed that although the operators had applied to operate under the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Environmental Development Scheme (rCOMSDEP), they had not received approval to begin mining.
NAIMOS also established that the area where mining was taking place did not correspond with the coordinates contained in the operators’ application.
Despite maintaining offices within the community, the operators reportedly denied engaging in illegal mining.
Community Raises Alarm
According to NAIMOS, residents of Ahwiren have expressed growing concern over the mining activities, citing the destruction of water bodies and the site’s location near the main road.
Community members also warned that continued mining at the headwaters of the Subin River could cause long-term environmental damage.
The latest operation forms part of the government’s intensified campaign against illegal mining, particularly in environmentally sensitive areas and around major water bodies, as authorities seek to protect forests, farmlands and river systems from further degradation.
