The Rapid Response Unit of the Forestry Commission in the Juaboso District, Western North Region, have apprehended ten individuals, including two police officers, during a joint operation, according to a myjoyonline.com report.
The arrests targeted a group involved in mining within the Kokosua Forest Reserve.
Of the 10 arrested are four Chinese nationals identified as Men Shi Yu, 30, Wen Yong Cheng, 30, Wen Fu Lin, 58, and Lee Pin, 60; others in police grips were Edward Owusu, 25, Kwesi Frank, 42, Abudu Dramani, 41, and Joe Naburi, 27.
Others include, Detective Sergeant Yahaya Andrews and Lance Corporal Azantillow, believed to be protecting the illegal miners at the crime scene.
The report added that during interrogation, Detective Sergeant Yahaya Andrews claimed that one Chief Inspector Adusei Negga had ordered them to patrol the Kokosua Forest Reserve close to Asempaneye, where they were stationed.
The operation led to the destruction of 10 excavators.
This latest arrest follows a similar operation conducted by the Rapid Response Unit on November 29, 2023, in the Anwiaso East Forest Reserve near Diaso.
During that operation, ten illegal miners were apprehended, and two excavators, along with two heavy-duty electrical plants, were destroyed.
Samuel Darko-Akonor, the Coordinator of the Rapid Response Unit at the Forestry Commission Headquarters, issued a warning to those engaged in illegal mining within forest reserves.
"The unit is ever prepared to carry the fight to them to save our forest and our water bodies.”
AM/SARA
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