A NAIMOS operations team survived an armed ambush on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, after illegal miners opened fire with pump-action shotguns at the GREL rubber plantation in Adiewoso.

While one taskforce vehicle sustained damage, personnel executed a tactical withdrawal without casualties and immediately triggered intelligence-led recovery efforts.

In a follow-up dawn operation on Thursday April 30, 2026, NAIMOS and the Agona Ahanta Police conducted a coordinated search of Adiewoso and surrounding areas. This crackdown resulted in the arrest of 49 suspected illegal miners, including three foreign nationals from Niger and Burkina Faso.

Authorities also seized a pump-action firearm, suspected narcotics, and over GH₵226,000 in cash recovered from vehicles belonging to suspects Daniel Avoka and Ebenezer Cobbinah.

Additionally, two containers of substances suspected to be gold were retrieved for investigation.

To ensure the protection of innocent civilians, a total of 114 individuals were screened at the Adiewoso Community Centre.

Through collaboration with GREL management, officials identified and released 12 senior high school students, eight casual plantation workers, and several local artisans.

The 49 confirmed suspects were subsequently transferred to the Agona Divisional Police Command for further investigation.