A National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) operations team in the Nzema East area of the Western Region has survived an armed ambush by suspected illegal miners, triggering a major security crackdown within the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) plantation.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, when the team encountered a group of illegal miners actively operating within the plantation.
The assailants reportedly opened fire with pump-action weapons on a NAIMOS Zonda pickup. The team withdrew tactically without casualties, while authorities launched an intelligence-led operation to track down those responsible.
Acting on credible leads, NAIMOS carried out a dawn cordon-and-search operation on Thursday at Adiewoso and nearby communities in the Ahanta West District. The exercise led to the arrest of 49 suspected illegal miners out of 114 individuals initially detained for screening.
Security operatives recovered a pump-action gun and seized over GH¢226,000 in cash believed to be proceeds of illegal mining.
The items included GH¢140,000 found in a Toyota Raize and an additional GH¢86,710, along with substances suspected to be gold, retrieved from a Toyota Hilux. The Hilux owner, identified as Ebenezer Cobbinah, was arrested and is assisting with investigations.
Authorities also confiscated suspected Indian hemp and cartons of cigarettes believed to be linked to the illegal operations. Three of the suspects were identified as foreign nationals from Niger and Burkina Faso.
A joint team comprising GREL management and the Ghana Police Service assisted in verifying the identities of those detained. Individuals confirmed as legitimate plantation workers, including eight GREL employees and several students, were released.
The 49 suspects have since been handed over to the Agona Divisional Police Command for further investigation.
