18 Illegal miners arrested by Operation Vanguard

Eighteen suspected illegal miners; fourteen Ghanaians and four Chinese nationals, have been arrested by personnel of Operation Vanguard in the Western and Ashanti Regions.

They were arrested on Monday during land patrols by the Forward Operation Bases (FBOs) at illegal mining sites at Tasco in the Tarkwa District of the Western Region and Okyerekrom in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region.

Some items that were seized at both sites included a single barrel gun, 14 pumping machines, 4 excavator control boards, 3 electric controllers, 2 joysticks, 8 CCTV cameras, 3 monitors, 8 pickaxes, 1 actuator controller, 4 batteries and 16 shovels.

The suspects have been handed over to the Tarkwa and Obuasi District Police stations.

In similar operations the FOBs immobilised a changfan machine and two sanny excavators at Anyinam along the Brim River, Eastern Region and Asaase Bombesea in the Obuasi East District of the Ashanti Region.

They also seized 10 pumping machines, one trammel device, two batteries and two monitors.

No arrests were however made.