W/R: Hundreds arrested as NAiMOS burns down notorious galamsey enclave in Aboso

The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAiMOS) has launched a major offensive against illegal mining and crime in the Western Region, targeting “Gangway,” a notorious enclave at Aboso in the Prestea-Huni Valley District.

In the early hours of Monday, 5 October 2025, a heavily armed NAiMOS Task Force descended on the settlement, dismantling makeshift shanties that had long served as shelters for illegal miners, drug dealers, and gamblers. Thick clouds of smoke filled the air as dozens of wooden structures and mining equipment were set ablaze in a swift and well-coordinated operation.

The raid sent shockwaves through the community, with hundreds of residents, many suspected of engaging in galamsey and other illicit trades, surrendering to the Task Force without resistance.

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During the exercise, officers also uncovered parcels of hard drugs, including 11 wraps of Indian hemp, underscoring the deep links between illegal mining and narcotics trafficking in the area.

According to sources, this operation follows a similar exercise in June 2025, during which NAiMOS operatives issued stern warnings to miners and criminal gangs to vacate the area. Despite these warnings and repeated appeals from traditional leaders, including the Chiefs of Aboso, illegal mining activities had continued unchecked until this week’s decisive crackdown.

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In a related development, NAiMOS extended its operations to the Dadwen-Dompim stretch in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, where 15 water-pumping machines, a generator, and three Chanfangs were seized and destroyed. Several other illegal mining structures in the area were also burnt.

With this latest strike, NAiMOS has reaffirmed its determination to root out illegal mining operations, reclaim degraded lands, and restore environmental and social order across the Western Region.