Cheo Town, Rivercess County – In a significant move to enforce mining regulations, the Ministry of Mines and Energy, in collaboration with state security agencies, has apprehended five Chinese nationals for their involvement in unlawful mining activities in Cheo Town, Rivercess County.
Following their arrest, the suspects were formally transferred to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution. Deputy Minister for Operations at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, William Hines, received the individuals. Authorities have stated that these arrests are part of an ongoing government initiative to uphold Liberia’s Minerals and Mining Law and to restore order within the nation’s mining sector.
Minister of Mines and Energy, Wilmot Paye, underscored the significance of these operations, labeling them as “routine yet vital compliance exercises” fully funded by the Liberian government. He drew attention to a similar campaign conducted in 2024, which led to the arrest and indictment of several individuals engaged in illegal mining, ultimately resulting in out-of-court settlements amounting to hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars.
During this recent enforcement action, the arrested individuals were discovered operating on a mining site under the management of Devaco Mining Company, a holder of a Class ‘B’ license. However, the individuals were found to be in possession of identification cards belonging to Hongtu Mining Company—another Class ‘B’ licensee—raising concerns about potential collusion and misrepresentation.
Subsequent investigations revealed that Devaco Mining Company had failed to renew its operational license since 2022 and had illicitly transferred its mining license to Hongtu Mining Company without obtaining the necessary formal approval from the Ministry.
Consequently, the Ministry of Mines and Energy has mandated the immediate cessation of Devaco’s mining operations in Rivercess County. Authorities have also confiscated a complete washing plant and an excavator from the site.
Compliance operations are currently underway across the Southeastern region, spearheaded by Deputy Inspector-General for Mines, Adolphus Gleekia, alongside mining engineers Jerry Zaza and Mambu Sonii. The Ministry has reiterated its unwavering commitment to ensuring strict adherence to national laws and regulations in all mining activities.
Comments are closed.