Personnel of the Operation Vanguard Team have apprehended 50 suspected illegal miners in the Western and Eastern Regions in various operations conducted recently.

The personnel on 13 July this year, in the Western Region, apprehended 16 suspected Chinese illegal miners in the general area of Enchi Kwahu in the Aowin District together with 5 excavators at where they had been operating.

Whilst 34 other suspected illegal miners were also arrested in the East Akim Municipality in the Eastern Region last Friday.

Captain Andy Sowatey, Public Relations Officer of the team told the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Takoradi, said the suspects, made up of both locals and foreigners were apprehended in the general area of Asiakwa.

He said nine of the suspects who are local inhabitants have been handed over to Police at Kibi for prosecution, while the others comprising of 16 Chinese, 22 Guineans and 3 Burkinabes and the 5 excavators have been handed over to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Miners (IMCIM) for further action.

Captain Sowatey said though the Taskforce have been receiving information through tip-offs from some locals, others have also resorted to providing safe havens for the illegal miners.

He said some of the illegal miners have rented accommodation within various areas where galamsey is rampant and are wreaking havoc on water bodies and forests.

He called on the traditional authorities and the local inhabitants to help flash out these unlicensed operators and their collaborators from their hideouts to save the environment from further deterioration.