FOUR CHINESE nationals who have been engaging in illegal gold mining activities, also known as galamsey, at Dikoto, a village near Wassa Akropong in the Western Region, have been arrested by a joint military-police team under the auspices of the National and Western Regional Security Councils.

The four, Xu Xio Guang, 26, Tang Jian Guo, 59, Tang Lin He, 37 and Yang Xian, 19, were arrested on December 21, 2001 during an operation mounted by the team in the area.

DCOP Moses Ransford Ninson, Western Regional Police Commander, who disclosed this to DAILY GUIDE, explained that the destructive activities of illegal miners on the water bodies, arable lands and forest reserves within the region necessitated the operation.

He indicated that the Chinese alleged that they were brought into the country by a Tarkwa-based Chinese called Dai Ming Shing.

According to the regional police commander, one of the suspects, Tang Neng Bring, 27, managed to escape arrest during the operation while another suspect, Tan Wei Min, was also in China. He noted that efforts were being made to have them apprehended.

Items retrieved from the four Chinese galamsey operators included five gold ingots, two pump action guns together with 19 live AAA cartridges, 179 live BBB cartridges, 169 empty cartridges, one chainsaw machine, one sledge hammer, three domestic and one industrial cylinder.

The rest are one military camouflage uniform, 11 mobile phones, three unserviceable walkie-talkies, one HP computer, notebook, one double cabin Toyota pick-up with registration number GN 1997 Z, one Konka television set, a cash sum of 2,020 Yuan and GH¢50.00.

DCOP Ninson said at about 300 metres from the Chinese suspects’ site, a Ghanaian, Godwin Jones, 38, and a mechanical engineer were also arrested for engaging in illegal mining with two excavator machines and a washing plant.

The suspect claimed that he and his cousin, Kwabena Amoah, acquired the site from Nana Dikoto of Dikoto village and that they started the illegal mining activities about three weeks ago.

DCOP Ninson said all the suspects were put before court and were remanded into police custody to reappear on January 11, 2012.

The regional police commander appealed to all galamsey operators to make sure they acquired mining licences and permits from the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency respectively before starting their operations.