Officers from the Preventive Unit of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Customs Division have intercepted and seized 560 CHANG FANG diesel engines at the Golden Jubilee Terminal at Tema Port, in a consignment authorities suspect was intended for illegal small-scale mining, widely known as galamsey.

The engines were discovered during a routine cargo inspection when vigilant customs officers flagged the shipment for further examination.

Officials said the engines — powerful industrial diesel units often used to power water pumps and dredging equipment at illegal mining sites — had been concealed in a container shipment believed to be headed for unlawful mining activities in parts of the country.

Commissioner-General of the GRA, Anthony Kwasi Sarpong, praised the officers for demonstrating integrity and placing national interest above personal gain.

“Some good behaviour like this from my officers is rewarding and must be recognised by Ghanaians. They chose national interest and preventive duty ahead of personal gains,” he said.

He also indicated that investigations have begun to determine the identity of the importer, the clearing agents involved, and the final destination of the engines.

“We will investigate the importer and the agents involved. Ghana’s ports will not be used as a gateway for equipment that fuels environmental destruction,” the Commissioner-General stated.

The interception forms part of ongoing efforts by authorities to disrupt supply chains that support illegal mining, an activity widely blamed for the destruction of rivers, forests, and other natural resources.

Customs officials at Tema Port have since stepped up cargo screening as government agencies intensify measures to dismantle galamsey logistics networks operating through Ghana’s ports.

The Ghana Police Service arrested 23 suspects involved in illegal mining, as well as disabled and retrieved various mining equipment.

The Sevice has deepened its crackdown on illegal mining through targeted, intelligence-led operations in the Western Region.

In the Wassa Akropong District, police arrested 23 suspects during operations along the Wassa Akropong–Japa–Dadieso road.

The team also extended operations to the Obeng Mining Group site at Wassa Japa, where 64 changfan machines were disabled.

At Wassa Dominase, officers responded to intelligence on illegal mining near the Goil and Energy Oil filling stations along the Agona Amenfi–Gyedua Kesse Junction road.

Seven changfan machines and washing boards were disabled. Three water pumping machines and one pickaxe were retrieved.

In a separate operation in Asankrangwa, police acted on information about illegal mining near the 1D1F building along the Asankra Saah–Asankra Kwabeng road, retrieving three water pumping machines and four motorbikes.

All suspects are in custody assisting with ongoing investigations.

Over 500 arrests have been made from January to May this year in response to efforts to combat illegal mining, locally known as galamsey.

In May, the Ghana Police Service confirmed the arrest of 17 individuals, including seven Chinese nationals and ten Ghanaians, in connection with illegal mining activities in Samreboi, located in the Western Region.

The Central North Police Regional Command’s Special Anti-Galamsey Taskforce on April 7 apprehended five suspects — two Ghanaians and three Chinese nationals — for engaging in illegal mining activities on River Fum at Assin Ayitey, a farming community near Assin Akonfudi in the Assin North Constituency, within the Central North Police Region.

The arrested individuals were identified as Duut Kwabena Sakakba, aged 29; Bismark Asare, aged 36; and three Chinese nationals — Lin Wei, aged 45; Zhao Min, aged 38; and Lu Chen, aged 41.

The effects of illegal mining continue to affect the country adversely. Billions of cedis are lost due to the smuggling of gold by illegal miners. Also, the water bodies and forest reserves are due to the use of mercury, other harmful chemicals, and heavy equipment.

The government has initiated a number of measures to quell the activities of illegal miners in the country.

Excavator owners and operators who have failed to register their machines with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) risk losing them to the state, as the government intensifies efforts to clamp down on illegal mining activities.

To further control the situation, the DVLA, in collaboration with key agencies like the Minerals Commission, National Security, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), has started tagging all newly imported excavators.

Legal small-scale mining sites have also been geo-fenced, with their site coordinates integrated into the Ghana Mine Repository and Tracking software for better oversight.

According to President John Dramani Mahama, the government plans to reclaim 10,000 hectares of mined-out lands from illegal mining activities.