"NAIMOS apprehends five Chinese nationals in galamsey raid in the Eastern Region" Myjoyonline.com, 18 Jan 2026

The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) [..] successfully dismantled a foreign-led illegal mining cell operating along the banks of the Birim River on Friday, January 16, 2026.

The coordinated strike resulted in the arrest of five Chinese nationals, including one woman, who were caught in the act of washing gold-bearing silt directly into the river.

The Birim River, a major tributary of the Pra River, has been under immense ecological pressure. Reports from Ghana Water Limited (GWL) indicate that the cost of treating water from the Birim has surged by over 300% due to the high levels of turbidity (muddiness) caused by illegal mining.

By destroying equipment like "changfans" on-site, the state is making the cost of illegal mining prohibitively high for foreign syndicates.