Fake National Security operatives arrested for extorting illegal miners

Three men, including two self-styled national security operatives and a vehicle sprayer, have been arrested by the Central North Command of the Ghana Police Service for allegedly extorting money from illegal miners in Asamang, a community in the Assin North District of the Central Region.

The suspects have been identified as Nana Kwame, also known as “Money Fresh”, Daniel Amoako Arthur, alias “Rasta”, and Cobbinah from Assin Bereku.

Police recovered two pump-action shotguns from the suspects, who admitted to seizing the weapons from a galamsey site and keeping them without authorization.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Abraham Acquaye, who heads the Central North Police Command, stated that the trio could not produce any form of identification to verify their alleged affiliation with National Security.

According to DCOP Acquaye, vigilant residents of Asamang, who had been monitoring the group’s suspicious activities for weeks, confronted and detained them during one of their alleged extortion operations. 

The suspects were then handed over to the New Edubiase Police in the nearby Adansi South District of the Ashanti Region.

After preliminary investigations, the suspects were transferred to the Central North Regional Police Command, where they remain in custody and are said to be cooperating with investigators.

Authorities say the men will be arraigned in court soon, and the police are urging the public to report similar impersonation schemes to help combat rising criminal activity in illegal mining zones.