In a carefully coordinated dawn operation sanctioned by the Western Regional Security Council, a joint security task force has seized seven excavators, 18 water pumps, and a pump-action gun from illegal miners operating within the Neung South Forest Reserve in the Tarkwa Nsuaem municipality.

The operation, led by Brigadier General Musah Whajah (Rtd) and backed by Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson, the Second Infantry Battalion, and the Western Naval Command, was part of intensified efforts to combat illegal mining — known locally as galamsey — in one of the region’s most environmentally degraded zones.

According to officials, the operation was intelligence-led and aimed at dismantling entrenched networks of illegal miners who have caused severe pollution of water bodies and destruction of forest cover in the area.

In the course of the raid, two of the excavators were found unserviceable, while the control boards of three others were removed to prevent further use.

The remaining two were tracked and recovered after an extended sweep of the reserve.

All makeshift mining structures were destroyed to prevent a quick reoccupation of the site.

Interestingly, unlike previous operations where miners reportedly relied on spiritual charms and talismans for protection, security forces this time found only a single Bible left behind at one of the deserted camps — a symbolic shift that drew quiet reflection from the team.

Brigadier General Musah Whajah (Rtd) reaffirmed the team’s commitment to enforcing the law and protecting the environment.

“We remain resolute in our duty to restore our forests and water bodies,” he said.

“Illegal mining is not only a crime against the state but a grave assault on the future of our children.”

Regional Minister Joseph Nelson also commended the collaboration between the various security agencies and warned that similar operations would continue across other hot spots in the Western Region.

This latest action underscores the government’s renewed resolve to eradicate illegal mining and safeguard Ghana’s natural resources for sustainable development.