The Eastern Regional Police Command in collaboration with Operation Vanguard team has arrested 47 Nigeriens and Burkinabes for illegal mining, popularly known as ‘galamsey’, at Asamama in the Kwabeng District of the Eastern Region.
The suspects, who were being held for mining without licence, were in police custody, to help in investigations after which they would be arraigned.
Confirming the arrest to the Ghanaian Times, here yesterday, the Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ebenezer Tetteh, said the suspects were arrested following at a tip-off at about 8am, March 4, this year.
According to him, the combined team who were in the area to curb illegal mining went to the site where the suspects were mining and hence arrested them.
DSP Ebenezer Tetteh said the police and operation vanguard also retrieved 48 complete sets of gold detecting machines, GH¢6,155, CFA 69,000, Guinea Franc(GNF)30, 000, eight new batteries, two headsets and 41 pickaxes.
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA
