21 suspects arrested in anti-galamsey operation at Yakombo Forest Reserve
A joint operation targeting illegal mining in the Savannah Region has led to the arrest of 21 suspects—11 Chinese nationals and 10 Ghanaians—at the Yakombo Forest Reserve. The operation, carried out on December 2, 2025, was spearheaded by the Forestry Commission with support from three Rapid Response teams.
The raid involved 51 personnel, including forest guards from the Buipe and Bole Forest District offices of the Forest Services Division. The suspects were apprehended in Compartments 50 and 51 of the reserve, near Tuntumba in the Bole-Bamboi District.
The Chinese nationals arrested include Tang Shao Qi (28), He Peng (40), Zhou Qin Sar (25), Wu Xu (39), He Chuang Ye (45), Cheng Lin (40), Long Xi (32), Yang Gesheng (51), Zhang Hongzhaojie (34), Zhou Peng (39), and Wu Yujie (24). The Ghanaian suspects are Alhassan Yakubu, Daniel Mba (33), Pious Kwabena (20), Emmanuel Amankra (40), Seidu Suleman (44), Sampson Akawuni (22), Thadeus Gideon (27), Mohammed Salim (21), Mohammed Kanamu (25), and Saaka Yakubu (22).
During the operation, officials seized several heavy-duty machines believed to have been used for illegal mining, including one Toyota Hilux and two Great Wall pickup trucks, three Howo tipper trucks, and one Man Diesel low-bed truck carrying an excavator.
All 21 suspects have been handed over to the Damongo Regional Police Command for further investigations and prosecution. The confiscated vehicles and machinery have been transferred to the Mole National Park under the supervision of the Forestry Commission’s Wildlife Division.
Established in 1974, the Yakombo Forest Reserve is Ghana’s largest forest reserve, covering approximately 1,210 square kilometres. Authorities say the latest operation reflects an intensified effort to protect the reserve’s ecosystem from destructive mining activities.