The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has seized an additional 1,070 Chanfang machines concealed in separate shipping containers at the Tema Port, officials announced on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
The latest interception marks a significant escalation in the EPA’s crackdown on the importation of the controversial mining equipment, widely associated with galamsey (illegal small-scale mining) activities that have severely damaged Ghana’s water bodies and forests.
EPA officials described the scale of the seizure as “alarming,” noting that the machines were reportedly destined for various mining districts across the country.
The consignment was discovered hidden within multiple containers during routine inspections at the port.
This latest operation follows closely on the heels of a similar seizure just weeks earlier, when the Authority uncovered more than 200 Chanfang machines concealed in 14 shipping containers at the same facility.
Chanfang machines are Chinese-manufactured alluvial gold mining equipment frequently used in unregulated mining operations.
Authorities have repeatedly blamed them for the rampant destruction of riverbeds, farmlands, and major water bodies through mercury pollution, sedimentation, and habitat degradation.
Speaking on the development, EPA officials emphasized that the Authority is intensifying surveillance and enforcement measures to stem the inflow of such equipment.
“The continued attempt to smuggle these machines into the country is a direct threat to our environment and water security,” an EPA spokesperson stated. “We will no longer tolerate the unregulated importation and deployment of Chanfang machines that fuel illegal mining and pollute our rivers.”
The seizures coincide with the EPA’s broader environmental restoration efforts. The Authority is currently implementing a pilot project using ionic nano-copper technology to treat sections of the heavily polluted River Birim in the Eastern Region. The innovative treatment is estimated to cost approximately $200,000 per kilometre.
EPA officials reiterated their commitment to collaborating with relevant security agencies, customs authorities, and port officials to prevent further smuggling of Chanfang machines, while urging importers and prospective users to comply with existing regulations on mining equipment.
