Forestry Commission Arrests 11 for Illegal Mining in Pra Anum Forest Reserve
A joint anti-illegal mining operation by the Forestry Commission (FC) has led to the arrest of 11 persons in the Pra Anum Forest Reserve in the Eastern Region.
The suspects were apprehended at dawn on Sunday, December 14, 2025, during an operation carried out by 28 officers drawn from three Rapid Response Teams, working together with officers from the Oda Forest District of the Forest Services Division (FSD).
The arrest took place in Compartment 70 of the Pra Anum Forest Reserve at Banka, within the Oda Forest District. The suspects comprise eight Ghanaians and three Chinese nationals.
Those identified as Ghanaians are Mohammed Mustapha, 25; Aminu Moro, 48; Owusu Emmanuel, 28; Raymond Opoku Agyemang, 32; Teye Joseph, 32; Oduro Emmanuel, 29; Aaron Oppong Gyebi, 36; and Isaac Apana, 32. The Chinese nationals are Jun Hunay, 42; Wen Yong Feng, 49; and Lu Zheng Zhan, 37.
During the operation, officers seized two pick-up vehicles—a Toyota with registration number GW 4974-23 and a Great Wall with registration number GT 4189-25—along with eight excavators and one automatic pump-action gun.
All 11 suspects have been handed over to the Asante Akim Juaso District Police Command to assist with investigations and possible prosecution. The seized vehicles have meanwhile been conveyed to the Oda Forest District Office of the Forestry Commission for safe-keeping.
The Forestry Commission has reiterated its commitment to intensifying operations against illegal mining, particularly in protected forest reserves, to safeguard Ghana’s forest resources and water bodies.
