Four illegal miners have been arrested in the Atewa Forest reserve in the Eastern Region.

The suspects – Kwadwo Yeboah, 27, Kwabena Akari, 34, Francis Baah 34, and Okyere Prince, 16 were arrested on Thursday, October 24, 2019 at the Akyem Asiakwa stretch of the Atewa Forest around 6:30am by the A team of Forest Guards led by the Range Manager.

Items retrieved include five pumping machines, Seven head pans, one small carpet, and a shovel.

The Begoro District Forest Manager Kwame Oteng Awuah confirmed the arrest to Starr News adding, the suspects were being prepared to face prosecution.

Many Illegal miners including nationals from Some African countries using sophisticated equipment are often arrested in the Atewa Forest Reserve.

The illegal miners have taken advantage of the large size of the forest reserve and the inadequate forest guards to operate secretly in portions of the forest.

The illegal miners mostly operate at night and dawn, while others have erected tents in the forest reserve where they spend days to operate.

The activities of the illegal miners continue to cause devastation to the vegetation and more importantly, the headwaters of River Birim, Ayensu and Densu.