Hunt for illegal gold miners in Saraya: Gendarmerie commando operation on the banks of the Falémé River

The fight against illegal gold mining continues firmly in the department of Saraya. On Sunday, October 18, 2026, the territorial gendarmerie brigade of Saraya conducted an operation to dismantle illegal gold mining sites located near the Falémé river, in the village of Bantankho, located in the commune of Bembou.

Deployed between 10:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., the operation mobilized 16 soldiers, including three officers. It resulted in the disabling of a significant logistical system used in illegal gold mining activities.

A significant amount of extraction equipment was neutralized.

According to the report on the operation, 48 spitting machines were destroyed on site. Security forces also recovered seven motorized tricycles (including two of the "piki paka" type), six motorcycles, four generators, eleven water pumps, and six jackhammers.

Despite the significant resources deployed and the scale of equipment neutralized on the ground, no one was arrested during this operation.

Preserve the Falémé River ecosystem

This operation is part of ongoing actions against illegal gold mining, a devastating activity that raises serious concerns related to environmental protection, the preservation of water resources and the safety of local populations.

The Falémé River, which runs alongside areas of intense gold mining activity, remains a particularly vulnerable ecosystem in the face of the risks of environmental degradation and pollution linked to illegal mining practices.

An investigation has been opened by the gendarmerie services in order to determine the networks installing these sites and to identify the people involved in these illegal activities.