Eight illegal miners have been arrested for allegedly stealing gold ore from a Chinese mining concession Gbane in the Upper East Region.

They were said to have used unapproved routes to gain entry to the Shaanzi mine which has since January 23, been shut down over 16 deaths.

Security personnel of the mine arrested the eight illegal miners on Saturday and handed them over to the regional police command for prosecution.

The minerals commission on January 23 ordered Shaanxi Mining Ghana Limited to temporarily cease operation following the death of 16 illegal miners at Gbane in the Talensi district.

An explosion on January 23 left 16 illegal miners dead and several others injured. They were said to have ignored a warning to stop prospecting for gold as Shaanxi was said to have planned to blast their concession with explosives.

Police in the region told 3news.com that the suspects will today, February 18 be arraigned on two counts of stealing and unlawful entry, our correspondent Tanko Mohammed Rabiu reported.