One of the seized excavators and the Chinese

About 32 suspected illegal miners were rounded up from various illegal gold mining sites by the joint security taskforce, Operation Vanguard.

The arrests, according to Operation Vanguard, followed several operations it conducted in the Western, Central, Eastern and Ashanti regions and has since handed over the suspects to the police for further actions.

In the Western Region, patrols in the Wassa Akropong and Nzema East Districts resulted in the arrests of nine locals suspected of mining illegally at Gyapa and Avrebo.

An excavator, 20 water pumping machines, 12 Changfans and two power plants were seized.

Two Chinese nationals and a local were also arrested on suspicion of mining illegally at Ayanfuri in the Central region and Manso Atuntuma in Adansi South area of the Ashanti Region respectively.

The suspects were handed over to various District police stations for further action. Additionally, a total of 108 Changfan machines were immobilized over the same period.

At about 2am on Sunday, August 25, 2019, Operation Vanguard personnel in the Eastern Region conducted an operation at the general area of the Kibi Zongo Township which resulted in the arrest of some 20 suspected illegal miners.

Fifteen of the suspects were Nigerians, one from Guinea Bissau and four locals. They were subsequently handed over to the New Abirim district police for further action.

According to personnel of the Operation Vanguard, the illegal miners were still receiving assistance from some locals in their operations.

The taskforce has resolved to continue to sensitize the public against offering assistance to galamseyers, in light of the amendment to the Mining Acts stipulating stiffer punishments for those who aid and abet them.