The Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners Taskforce has arrested five persons for mining in the Birim River at Mampong in the Atewa East District of the Eastern Region.
The task force also set ablaze 40 changfans and confiscated two newly built changfans which were just about to be deployed into the Birim river by galamseyers.
The suspects are part of numerous recalcitrant illegal miners who returned to the site to continue their illegalities a few days after the military visited the area to burn several changfans.
Two of them were arrested right in the middle of the river when the task force surrounded them while they were busily mining with their changfan.
When the task force was moving out of the site, they chanced on a truck conveying two newly built changfans being transported to the same site. Two occupants of the truck took to their heels upon seeing the task force, but they were given a hot chase by the task force and were subsequently arrested.
The last person identified as name Nana Kwadwo Ayimadu who appeared claiming ownership of the changfans and tried to prevent the task force from towing the truck with the changfans was then arrested.
The suspects who were taken to the Kibi District Police Command are currently in custody and are expected to be arraigned before court.
Meanwhile, the truck with the newly built changfans has also been handed over to the police to aid their investigations.
Mr Thomas Larbi the Treasurer of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Miners who led Wednesday’s operations confirming the arrest to Channel One News affirmed his association’s commitment to deal with illegal miners polluting water bodies in the country.
