Illegal miners allegedly seized four AK-47 rifles from police officers during an operation at a galamsey site in the Ahafo Region, the Tanoso Police Commander, ASP Edmond Adjei Kissi, has disclosed.
According to a report by adomonline.com on August 19, 2026, the incident occurred during a police operation in Duayaw Nkwanta and Adroba, where officers were confronted by illegal miners.
ASP Adjei Kissi said the Regional Police Commander, after being informed about the incident, directed the officers to return to the area and retrieve the weapons.
“We went for an operation in Duayaw Nkwanta, Adroba and illegal miners seized four AK-47s from us, and the regional commander instructed us to go and retrieve the weapons within five minutes,” he recalled.
He said the incident demonstrated the dangers police officers face while conducting operations against illegal mining, particularly in areas where tensions remain high.
ASP Adjei Kissi further explained that the experience had contributed to a more cautious approach by officers during subsequent operations.
He cited a recent operation at a galamsey site where police officers went to retrieve mining tailings but initially found no one at the location.
According to him, a man identified as Alhassan later arrived, but officers decided not to arrest him after assessing the security situation and available intelligence.
“We couldn’t arrest anyone due to the tensions, monitoring the situation and based on my security intelligence,” he said.
The Police Commander also responded to concerns over delays in taking some suspects to court, saying the traditional council had repeatedly asked about the progress of the cases.
He said the police had invited Alhassan, who told them that the traditional authorities were waiting for the chief to decide on the way forward.
ASP Adjei Kissi said he could not comment on any subsequent discussions, adding that the traditional council had not returned to the police station to follow up on the court proceedings.
The disclosure comes amid tensions over the fight against illegal mining in the Tanoso area, with the traditional council accusing the police of failing to provide adequate support in efforts to combat the galamsey menace.
Source: Ghanaweb
