Damongo, Savannah Region – In a decisive move against illegal mining, the Forestry Commission has apprehended eleven Chinese nationals and ten Ghanaians during an intelligence-led operation within the Yakombo Forest Reserve in the Buipe Forest District.
The raid, executed on Tuesday, December 2nd, involved a 51-member team comprising forest guards from the Buipe and Bole Forest District offices of the Forest Services Division, bolstered by three Rapid Response units. Their mission: to dismantle illicit mining operations that have infiltrated the protected reserve.
The suspects were caught red-handed in Compartments 50 and 51 of the reserve, located near Tuntumba in the Bole-Bamboi District. The Yakombo Forest Reserve, established in 1974 and encompassing approximately 1,210 square kilometers, is Ghana’s largest forest reserve. This intrusion poses a significant threat to its ecological balance.
The arrested Chinese nationals have been identified as 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 Hongzhaojie (34), Zhou Peng (39), and Wu Yujie (24).
The Ghanaian suspects include 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).
In addition to the arrests, the operation resulted in the seizure of several vehicles and pieces of equipment, including one Toyota Hilux, two Great Wall pick-up trucks, three Howo tipper trucks, and one Man Diesel low-bed truck transporting an excavator.
All suspects have been handed over to the Damongo Regional Police Command for further investigation and potential prosecution. The confiscated equipment is currently under the safekeeping of the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission at Mole National Park.
