The joint task force of Operation Vanguard has arrested four Chinese nationals and five Ghanaians engaged in galamsey.
The nine persons were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday at Prestea/Huni Valley and Upper Denkyira West districts.
Three of the Chinese were arrested together with five Ghanaian collaborators at an illegal mining site at Ensasi in the Prestea/Huni Valley District.
They are Wei Chan, 55, Lin Chao, 30, and Lin Chintong, 21.
The Ghanaians are Appiah Dankwah, 23, Samuel Baba, 39, Adingo Azuma, 20, Mohammed Mustapha, 30, and Atia Yendo, 30.
Items seized from them were a Lingong excavator, a Sany excavator, water pumping machines, three motorbikes, a benz truck and other mining equipment.
Washing plants and four changfans were also immobilised.
The suspects with all the items seized have been handed over to the Prestea Police Station for further investigations and possible prosecution.
The excavator has, however, been handed over to the Prestea/Huni Valley District.
The other Chinese illegal miner was arrested at Ampaabena in the Upper Denkyira West District on Wednesday.
As the team was getting closer to the illegal mining site, the galamseyers bolted leaving behind one Lee Hancheng, a suspected illegal miner.
The task force, consequently, seized two excavators, six car batteries, and a Kia Sportage with registration number GN 1856-13.
The suspect with all the items seized has been handed over to the Atekyem Police Station in Dunkwa-on-Offin.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana