The Prestea unit of the Blue Water Guards has carried out a swift and successful anti-galamsey operation near the Ankobra River in Ghana’s Western Region.
The raid, which took place at a site called “Amponsah” in the Himan Community, followed an intelligence-led tip-off that led officers to a known illegal mining zone. Upon arrival, the illegal miners reportedly fled the scene, abandoning their equipment and operations.
During the operation, the guards destroyed eight chanfang machines and seized another eight water pumping machines. Three additional chanfangs were said to have sunk into the river during the bust. No injuries or casualties were recorded.
The confiscated equipment has been handed over to the local police for further action, as investigations and efforts to apprehend the fleeing miners continue.
This latest action forms part of a series of operations by the Blue Water Guards, a government-backed task force launched in March 2025 to tackle illegal mining—commonly known as “galamsey”—which continues to pose a serious threat to Ghana’s rivers and natural resources.
According to the Ministry overseeing the initiative, the efforts of the Blue Water Guards are central to the government’s broader environmental strategy, aimed at protecting vital water bodies like the Ankobra River and restoring degraded lands across the country.
So far, the initiative has made significant inroads, with several illegal sites dismantled and equipment seized across various regions. Authorities say they are committed to sustaining the momentum and cracking down on illegal mining activities wherever they are found.
