Twenty-six suspected illegal miners have been arrested by the Forestry Commission’s Anti-Rapid Response Unit at Wassa Esaman in the Western Region.

The suspects were allegedly operating deep inside a forest, where they had established what appeared to be a mini-community, with vendors selling items and sheds built to serve as homes.

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On the back of the arrests, video footage has emerged showing the arrested illegal miners being subjected to physical force during the operation.

The video, shared by GTV on X, shows some of the miners who reportedly resisted arrest being physically restrained by members of the task force. The officers, who were heavily armed, were also seen placing the suspects in handcuffs.

The video also showed that most of the arrested suspects were covered in sand and were dressed in protective gears, suggesting they may have been actively mining when the task force arrived unannounced and caught them by surprise.

Women and young children at the site were also not spared as they were rounded up by the task force. Some of the men had their amulets and charms removed during the operation.

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Several tricycles, motorcycles and cars, mostly saloon cars, were also destroyed. The motorcycles were particularly burnt, while the tyres of other vehicles were deflated.

The task force also demolished the sheds that had been used as homes by the suspected illegal miners.

Watch the video below:

Anti-galamsey operation at Wassa Esaman: Suspected illegal miners face physical force during enforcement action.

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— GTV Ghana (@GTV_Ghana) October 19, 2026