The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) task force has intensified its clampdown on illegal mining activities in the Atiwa West District, extending operations to several communities in the western part of the district.
On Saturday, 28 February 2026, at around 10:00 a.m., the task force conducted a major raid at Larbikrom, a suburb of Akyem Akropong, before moving to Dompem. The operation followed intelligence reports of widespread destruction of cocoa farms, forests, and farmlands, as well as severe pollution of water bodies caused by illegal mining activities in the area.
At Larbikrom, several illegal miners fled upon sighting the task force. The team intercepted seven (7) excavators believed to have been used in the extensive devastation of cocoa farms and water bodies. Due to the unavailability of low-bed transport services, the task force immobilized the machines on-site by removing key components.four (4) control boards, three (3) monitors, and one (1) fuse box to prevent their further use.
A search of the area uncovered one (1) pump-action shotgun, one (1) locally manufactured pistol, and twelve (12) cartridges. The task force destroyed, through burning, several pieces of illegal mining equipment, including water pumps, hoses, gold-trapping carpets, and makeshift structures. NAIMOS engineers also used some of the excavators to backfill deep gullies and pits before immobilizing them.
Later in the day, around 1:00 p.m., the team moved to Dompem where, once again, the miners had fled before the task force’s arrival. The operation led to the discovery of one (1) XCMG excavator and two (2) CAT machines, which were also immobilized by removing their control boards and monitors. All other illegal mining tools and materials at the site were destroyed.
NAIMOS reaffirmed its commitment to sustain the raids aimed at halting illegal mining activities along rivers, within forest reserves, and in areas where harmful chemicals like cyanide and acid are used to degrade the environment.
The Secretariat also urged local authorities, security agencies, and intelligence units within the district to strengthen their monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to prevent the return of illegal miners to the affected areas.
