The Ghana Police Service have provided new details on ongoing swoop operations in the Ashanti South and Ahafo Regions, following large-scale arrests conducted earlier this week.

According to the police, 136 out of 486 suspects transferred from the Ahafo Region were screened and subsequently arraigned before the Tafo and Atasamanso Circuit Courts on November 13, 2025 at about 1:30 p.m.

"The courts ordered that all 136 suspects be remanded into prison custody to reappear on 28 November 2025," a police statement said.

Authorities revealed that during the screening exercise, a number of individuals were identified as innocent and immediately released.

According to the police, those freed included, “Travellers who were forced to alight from vehicles during the swoop and presented their tickets for verification, juveniles, students, teachers, nurses and other professionals who were picked up from their homes during the operation.”

These individuals were profiled and discharged on enquiry bail.

Officers also intercepted 21 foreign nationals who were travelling through the area at the time of the operation.

“They are currently in custody and are expected to be handed over to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) on 14 November 2025 for further investigations and appropriate action.”

Due to congestion at the Kumasi Central Prisons, authorities say 132 of the remanded suspects will be relocated to the Sunyani Central Prisons.

It may be recalled that a joint team of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service raided communities across the country where anti-illegal mining teams, including a team from the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and a team from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), were recently attacked.

According to a statement issued by the Ghana Armed Forces, the joint team raided Hwediem in the Ahafo Region, where a NAIMOS team led by its Director of Operations was attacked, as well as Dadwene in the Ashanti Region, where the Chief Executive Officer of the EPA and her team were also attacked.

The army stated that the operation, which started at dawn on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, aimed at arresting all the perpetrators of the attacks.

“The Ghana Armed Forces and Ghana Police Service are conducting simultaneous targeted and intelligence-led joint swoops in the Ashanti Region, specifically Dadwene and Anwona; in the Volta Region at Ehi; and in the Ahafo Region at Hwediem, Kenyase, Guaso and Marhani.

“The operations, which started at dawn today, Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at all the locations, aim at arresting identified persons involved in the recent attacks on members of the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) team, some police officers and officials of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including journalists,” parts of the army’s statement read.

It added, “The Armed Forces and the Police Service warn that any individual or group that attempts to obstruct the operations of any of the security services in their anti-galamsey operations or in the performance of any other lawful duty will face the full force of the law.”

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