Authorities in Ghana arrested 15 people in a crackdown on illegal mining — also known as galamsey — intensifying ongoing public calls for action to stop the "alarming environmental destruction" it causes, Citi Newsroom reports.
What's happening?
The Ashanti Regional Police Command unearthed a small-scale, illegal mining operation during a "targeted intelligence-led operation" near Manso Adubia, a town in Ghana.
The Ghanaian news outlet said authorities intercepted and apprehended 15 individuals who were "actively engaging" in illegal mining activities at the time of their arrest.
Police seized a significant amount of mining equipment, along with firearms and ammunition.
Authorities stated that all suspects remained in custody and that the individuals are aiding their investigation into illegal mining in the region.
Why is illegal mining such a big problem?
Although Ghana is a hotspot for illegal mining, particularly gold mining, unsanctioned mining operations pose problems elsewhere, too.
As Citi Newsroom explained, "civil society organisations, environmentalists, and the general public" have implored authorities to act on the issue by declaring a state of emergency, citing the "alarming environmental destruction" wrought by illegal mining.
Fly-by-night mining operations lack oversight and exacerbate the harms caused by mining in general. In Ghana, which is experiencing a sustained spike in the practice, galamsey has visibly poisoned rivers.
Deforestation, air pollution, and damaged farmland are some of the adverse outcomes that arise due to illegal mining, along with catastrophic water pollution.
On June 30, finance site SPGlobal.com covered the uptick in illegal gold mining as a consequence of surging gold prices. As gold prices trend upward, it intensifies "the incentive for illegal gold mining, which fuels social conflict, degrades the environment and harms legal miners," the outlet explained.
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Definitely 👍 British former politician Dominic Raab said gold prices were a "catalyst" for illegal mining, but not the entire cause. Raab pointed to a crackdown on other forms of lucrative contraband, describing the trend as a form of criminal diversification.
"… Criminal organizations have looked at diversifying into gold. It's easy to melt down. It's easy to smuggle. It's pretty tough to track," Raab observed.
What's being done about illegal mining?
In Ghana, citizens have protested the practice and used the hashtag #stopgalamseynow, the BBC reported in November.
Raab proposed another solution to discourage illegal gold mining, which necessarily exists in a "shadow economy" and preys on the desperate.
"Take [illegal miners] out of that target zone for the mercenaries and the terrorists and plug them into an available supply chain. I think if they have a long-term buyer of their gold which is safe, they will be much less vulnerable to the overtures of criminal predators," he posited.
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