The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah has arrested a galamseyer who was spotted with several others illegally mining at a location in the Atwima Kwanwoma District.

The suspect whose name is immediately not known has been put behind bars with his accomplices said to be on the run.

The arrest was made when the Minister was returning from inspecting some feeder and urban roads in the Atwima Kwanwoma and Amansie West Districts.

He told Accra based Peace FM, Tuesday, in an interview that he saw the head of the galamseyer at a mining site while returning from his inspection exercise and therefore became suspicious of his illegal act, hence, the order to cause his arrest.

“The mining site is at the roadide so when we were passing, I saw his head and therefore became suspicious. So, I together with my men stormed the place. When we got there, we realized that they were many but I think that upon seeing us, they absconded leaving the man to his own fate. We arrested him and also confiscated the equipment and or machinery they were using,” he noted.

He said the arrest was to compliment the efforts of the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, John Peter Amewu in saving the environment from illegal mining activities.

According to the Regional Minister, several arrests could have been made had it not been one motor rider whom he suspects relayed information to the galamseyers of his coming.

Continuing, the former 4th Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament said a taskforce will be outdoored in the Region to clamp down on the activities of illegal mining.