The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), in a joint operation with the Blue Water Guards, has launched a surprise crackdown on illegal miners along the Ankobra River at Agbanzie in the Nzema East District.
The early-morning exercise, carried out between 8:00 a.m. and 11:20 a.m. on Thursday, 12 February 2026, followed intelligence that two excavators had been deployed dangerously close to the river body.
As the taskforce advanced toward the site, officers intercepted an excavator being transported toward the river. The operators reportedly bolted on sighting the team, leaving the machine behind.
Officials quickly disabled the equipment by removing its monitor and electronic jumper to prevent it from being driven into the bush.
At the main site, two nearly new SDLG excavators fitted with Chanfang attachments were found actively mining along the riverbank.
According to preliminary findings, the operators had stripped key control components in what authorities believe was a calculated attempt to frustrate seizure.
With no lowbed trucks available to cart the machines away, the taskforce dismantled critical parts to render them inoperable. Items removed included system units, fuse boxes, monitors, oil pumps, a gear lever and batteries.
Investigations revealed that illegal mining activities were taking place within about 50 metres of the Ankobra River, leaving the water body heavily polluted.
Large swathes of arable land in the area have also been left scarred by deep excavations, raising concerns about long-term environmental damage.
During extended patrols, the team reportedly sighted about 60 suspected illegal miners operating on the opposite bank. The group fled on detecting the taskforce.
With assistance from the Blue Water Guards, officers secured a canoe to cross over and destroy additional mining equipment discovered along the riverbank.
NAIMOS says it is intensifying operations nationwide and has called on local authorities and security agencies to strengthen surveillance and enforcement within their jurisdictions.
The Ankobra River is among several major water bodies currently under threat from illegal mining activities across the country.
