Operatives of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) have dismantled a major foreign-coordinated illegal mining network operating near the Bia River in the Suaman Dadieso District of the Western North Region.
The operation, carried out on December 6, formed part of NAIMOS’ nationwide campaign against illegal mining and involved a 31-member task force deployed to the Kwabena Lantey and Suibo operational zones. The team commenced operations late in the morning and worked deep into the night.
The proximity of the illegal operation to the Bia River raised serious environmental concerns. Officers observed clear signs of river degradation, with sedimentation and suspected toxic discharge threatening the water source relied upon by nearby communities.
The operation intensified in a suburb of Dadieso known locally as Niger, following a critical intelligence breakthrough. An abandoned mobile phone left behind by a fleeing suspect was retrieved by operatives.
Analysis of the unlocked device revealed WhatsApp communications linked to a contact saved as “Boss Lii,” suggesting direct coordination by foreign nationals.
Acting swiftly on this lead, NAIMOS operatives tracked down and arrested nine Chinese nationals, all male. The suspects were escorted to multiple locations, where on-site corroboration linked them to the illegal mining activities.At these sites, officers documented further sections of the degraded Bia River and dismantled makeshift structures used for accommodation and mineral processing. Several of the structures were destroyed to prevent reoccupation.
During the operation, NAIMOS seized a number of items used to facilitate the illegal mining activities. These included two excavator filters, a Tecno smartphone, a water pumping machine, a mini car washing machine used for mineral processing, a bottle containing a small quantity of mercury, and a motorbike used for movement between forested locations. All items were secured and removed from the operational area.
Later in the evening, a four-member team from the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC), led by senior officer Hannah Arhin, arrived on site to take custody of scrap metal and remnants of heavy equipment.
The GIISDEC team was escorted by NAIMOS operatives to the Suaman Dadieso District Assembly before continuing to Asankragua as part of a broader national scrap recovery exercise.
As the mission concluded, a four-member NAIMOS escort team transported the nine apprehended foreign nationals to NAIMOS Headquarters for formal investigations.
The task force also paid an official visit to the Dadieso Divisional Police Station, where the Deputy Superintendent of Police assured officers that residences linked to the suspects would be secured pending further instructions from property owners.In a dramatic development, NAIMOS officers disclosed that an anonymous caller attempted to bribe the task force with an offer of GH¢2.7 million in exchange for the release of the detained suspects. The offer was immediately rejected, highlighting what NAIMOS described as the discipline and integrity guiding its operations.
Despite the demanding conditions and extended hours of activity, the task force maintained full operational control throughout the mission. NAIMOS said the Director of Operations provided real-time strategic oversight, issuing remote directives to ensure compliance with mandate and national security priorities.
NAIMOS described the Western North operation as a major victory in the fight against illegal mining, noting that it exposed foreign-led networks, protected a critical national water resource, and reinforced the state’s resolve to deal decisively with environmental crimes.
Source:Lovinghananews.com
