The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) Task Force has raided some illegal mining sites around the Ankobra River at Abelebo and Akango communities in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region.

The raid, conducted jointly with Blue Water Guards in the municipality, was part of the Secretariat’s efforts to fight galamsey activities in the country.

In a statement, NAIMOS said the raids were necessitated by the alarming rate of devastation caused by illegal miners to the Ankobra River and the general environment in the affected communities.

It said the operation was also based on credible intelligence from some local informants and the Blue Water Guards.

The statement said several pieces of equipment and items used by the illegal miners, including 50 Chanfang machines, polytanks, generators, and pipelines, were destroyed at the sites.

The task force also destroyed several makeshift structures erected along the course of the Ankobra River that were being used as shelters by the illegal miners.

Other items, including refrigerators, motorbikes, PVC pipes, and some excavator parts, were seized in the process.

However, the statement said there were no arrests, adding, “The galamseyers, who were spotted mining in large numbers on the river through the drone footage, took to their heels upon sensing and sighting the aggressive posture and huge numbers of NAIMOS and Blue Water Guards.”

It said the task force remained poised to continue such close collaboration with the Blue Water Guards to fight the galamsey menace within water bodies and forest reserves.