The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), in collaboration with the Northern Command of the Ghana Army and the Ghana Police Service, has arrested 10 people suspected of engaging in illegal mining at Kpali, near Gbinyiri in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Savannah Region.
The operation, conducted between August 25 and 27, 2026, also led to the seizure of two excavators, three excavator monitors, a Toyota Hilux, a fuel bowser and other mining equipment.
Security personnel additionally recovered three firearms and 25 rounds of live ammunition during the operation.
According to NAIMOS, the operation followed a reconnaissance mission conducted on August 19, which confirmed reports of illegal mining activities in the area.
The joint team encountered people actively engage d in mining and found evidence of extensive environmental degradation at the site.
The 10 suspects comprise three Chinese nationals and seven Ghanaians, the Secretariat said.
To prevent the miners from immediately returning to the site, the task force dismantled 15 makeshift structures and destroyed a generator used for the mining activities.
The suspects and the recovered items have been handed over to the Savannah Regional Police Command in Damongo for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The seized heavy equipment has also been secured at designated holding sites.
NAIMOS said the operation forms part of ongoing efforts to disrupt illegal mining activities and prevent further damage to water bodies and the environment.
The Secretariat said it will continue working with the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service and other relevant institutions to tackle illegal mining and protect vulnerable areas in the Savannah Region.