At least 14 suspects have been arrested for engaging in illegal mining activities in the Adansi North District of the Ashanti Region.
The suspects were arrested at Kenyasi on Monday, January 13, 2020 by the Ashanti Forward Operating Base(FOB) of the Operation Vanguard task force.
The suspects have been named as 50-year-old Nicholas Hackman, Nana Adusei Poku, 42, Wilson Azumah, 38, Asiedu Frank, 35, Nkansah Paul, 35, Musah Salifu, 32, Bayor Paul, 30 and 30-year-old Daniel Gyasi, 30.
The others are Maxwell Takye, 29, Michael Asare, 29, Akwasi Vincent, 29, Kufadji Samuel, 22, Kwadjo Owusu, 22, and 20-year-old Kwame Ofori.
“Items that were confiscated at the time of their arrest are Grease(oil), gun, KIA Rhino truck with registration number GX 3459-14, a Mitsubishi L 200 Pick up with registration number GR 7969-16 and 11 water pumping machines”, the task force said in a statement.
Other items seized by the team also include 3 heavy duty batteries, 4 excavators monitors, 2 buckets of hydraulic oil, a tool box and 16 mobile phones.
According to the Crime Officer of the Joint Task Force, DSP Kwarteng Yeboah, eight of the suspects have been handed over to the Obuasi Divisional Police Command whiles six others were also handed over to the Obuasi District Command for further action.
The seized equipment have since been sent to the FOB storehouse pending investigations and prosecution.
The operation was led by the Officer Commanding(OC), FOB Ashanti, Captain Aiplah Daniel Kabenla.
Three Chinese nationals arrested for illegal mining
On Monday, January 6, 2020, three Chinese nationals were arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal mining at Fahiakobo, a town in the Amansie Central District in the Ashanti Region.
The suspects are: Li Fei Chin, 35, Qiang Zhong-Wu, 42 and Li Yanwong, 47.
The joint military-police Anti-Galamsey Taskforce team in a statement said 3 pump-action guns, 14 cartridges of AAA Rounds, 5 Gold detectors, 5 metal detectors, 14 handheld radio communication gadgets and 6 water pumping machines were retrieved from the suspects.
The operation was led by the Ashanti Forward Operating Base (FOB), led by Officer Commanding (OC), Captain AD Kabenla of the Operation Vanguard team.
The suspects have since been handed over to the police.
Source: Jonathan Ofori, Daily Mail GH