The resource-rich area’s Oda River Forest Reserve in the Amansie Central District is where their operations were found, according to the Daily Graphic newspaper.
They were arrested in a three-day operation by the Bekwai Forest District of the Forest Services Division (FSD) of the Forestry Commission and the Rapid Response Teams drawn from four other forest districts, the Daily Graphic report said.
It also stated that the three-day operation, which took place on December 6 and 8, 2023, between Wednesday and Friday, was a component of the Forestry Commission’s continuous efforts to crack down on illicit mining operations, or galamsey, in forest reserves around the nation.
FSD Executive Director, Hugh Brown, shared details of the operation with the Daily Graphic, including that, the galamseyers were operating in seven compartments in the forest reserve, which is one of the designated red zones.
The official stated that in addition, “seven wooden structures, two chanfang machines, five water pumping machines, nine power plants, nine excavators, and 19 fuel tanks were demobilized.”
Mr Brown said seven out of the 10 suspects – Michael Korsah, Basit Shizu, Amadu Musah, Prince Boakye, Amedodzi Kofi, Akwasi Adu and Shi Tiachao, who were arrested on Wednesday, December 6, were arraigned before the Bekwai Circuit court on December 7.
He said the remaining three – Bernard Sarkodie, Li Tauhai and Rao Shifa who were arrested on Thursday, December 7, appeared before the Court on December 8.
“All 10 suspects have been remanded into police custody for one week,” he said.
The arrest comes barely a week after an Accra High Court jailed a Chinese galamsey kingpin, Aisha Huang. She was handed a four-and-half-year sentence for galamsey as well as other immigration offences.
The fight against galamsey has been topical in recent years after the adverse impact of their activities became clear in terms of the destruction of water bodies and farmlands in mining areas.
The government has serially stated its commitment to the anti-galamsey fight but the fight has so far been branded a failure as the activities continue unabated in parts of the country.