A joint taskforce from the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has arrested a notorious illegal miner accused of blocking and polluting the Ayensu River during a raid at Bisasi in the Ayensuano District of the Eastern Region.

The operation, conducted on November 9, was revealed by environmental journalist Erastus Asare Donkor of the Multimedia Group, who detailed the incident in a Facebook post.

According to Mr. Donkor, the suspect—described as a “galamsey kingpin”—confronted members of the taskforce while armed with a pistol. In a desperate attempt to avoid arrest, he allegedly offered the officers a GH¢100,000 bribe, which they rejected outright.

The officers confiscated the cash and mining equipment before proceeding to shut down the illegal mining site.

Authorities say the suspect’s operations had heavily contaminated the Ayensu River, threatening aquatic life and the health of nearby communities that depend on it for domestic use.

The suspect is currently in police custody assisting with ongoing investigations, while environmental officials assess the full extent of the environmental damage caused by his activities.