The Rapid Response team of the Forestry Commission has also arrested 28 Chinese nationals and three Ghanaians.
The Forestry Commission foils attempts by the galamseyers to mine illegally in the Apamprama Forest Reserve in the Ashanti Region.
According to the Forestry Commission, the miners were found to have pitched camp, pretending to be granted a permit to reclaim the land.
The illegal miners were arrested in Compartment 17 of the Apamprama Forest Reserve near the Obeng ne Obeng community, where four erected structures were immobilised.
One pickup truck, one Foton mini truck, and one generator were seized from the operation.
In a related operation by the Forestry Commission, eleven Chinese nationals and ten Ghanaians have been arrested by the Forestry Commission over illegal mining activities in the Yakombo Forest Reserve in the Buipe Forest District of the Savannah Region.
Reports reveal that the 21 arrested follow an intelligence-driven raid which occurred on Tuesday, December 2, by a 51-member team made up of forest guards.
The suspects were arrested in Ghana’s largest forest reserve.
The suspects arrested are namely:” Tang Shao Qi (28), He Peng (40), Zhou Qin Sar (25), Wu Xu (39), He Chuang Ye (45), Cheng Lin (40), Long Xi (32), Yang Gesheng (51), Zhang Honzhaojie (34), Zhou Peng (39), and Wu Yujie (24).
The Ghanaians suspected are Alhassan Yakubu, Daniel Mba (33), Pious Kwabena (20), Emmanuel Amankra (40), Seidu Suleman (44), Sampson Akawuni (22), Thadeus Gideon (27), Mohammed Salim (21), Mohammed Kanamu (25), and Saaka Yakubu (22)”.
The Forestry Commission operation also led to the seizure of one Toyota Hilux, two Great Wall pick-up trucks, three Howo tipper trucks, and one Man Diesel low-bed truck carrying an excavator.
The 21 suspects have since been transferred to the Damongo Regional Police Command for investigations and possible prosecution.
Meanwhile, five Chinese galamseyers mining along the Birim River have been busted by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS).
Reports suggest the NAIMOS operation in the Akyem Oda, Birim Central Municipality of the Birim River, occurred on Monday, December 29.
Following the raid, two excavators were seized and immobilised with a Toyota Hilux and a Toyota Land Cruiser used by the miners were also seized.
The Chinese galamseyers’ makeshift structures, water pumps and other equipment were destroyed.