Police arrest 16 at Gbane mining site, seize 4 guns and 209 cartridges

Police and military personnel have arrested 16 suspects and recovered two pump-action guns, 209 live cartridges and suspected narcotic substances during separate security operations at the Gbane mining site in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region.

The operations, conducted on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, involved personnel from the National Police Intelligence Directorate, the Upper East Regional Police Intelligence Directorate, the Special Operations Team, known as Black Cobra, the Tongo District Police Command and the military’s 11 Mechanised Battalion.

According to a statement issued by the Police Public Affairs Unit on Wednesday, October 14, and signed by Chief Inspector Abdul-Raman Sumaila, the police operation resulted in the arrest of 10 suspects and the retrieval of several items, including 104 live AA cartridges and 37 wraps of suspected Indian hemp. The police also seized 12 mobile phones and seven security uniforms belonging to Nalamtaaba, a small-scale mining firm operating in the area.

Other items recovered during the operation included seven body armours, two pepper sprays, four touch lights, a knife, a weapon bag and a set of walkie-talkies.

In a separate operation, personnel from the 11 Mechanised Battalion arrested six additional suspects and recovered two pump-action guns and 105 live AA cartridges.

The six suspects, together with the recovered items, were subsequently handed over to the police in Bolgatanga for further investigations. The two operations brought the total number of suspects arrested to 16 and the number of live AA cartridges recovered to 209.

The arrests come amid security concerns at the Gbane mining site, where tensions have involved the Gbane and Namolug communities, Nalamtaaba Mining Enterprise and Earl International Mining Limited.

However, the police statement did not identify the specific offences the suspects are alleged to have committed or establish whether the recovered weapons and ammunition are connected to any particular security incident. The identities of the suspects have also not been disclosed.

The police said security patrols were continuing in the affected communities to maintain peace and order as investigations progressed.

All 16 suspects remain in custody, are assisting investigators, and are expected to be put before the court, according to the police statement.

NA/EA

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