Fourteen alleged Ghanaian illegal miners in the general area of Kenyasi and its environs in the Adansie North Districts of the Ashanti Region have been nabbed by Ashanti Forward Operating Base (FOB Ashanti) patrol team.

The illegal miners were arrested on Monday 13 January 2020 by a patrol team led by the Officer Commanding (OC) FOB Ashanti, Captain Aiplah Daniel Kabenla.

The suspects are Nicholas Hackman 50 years, Nana Adusei Poku 42 years, Wilson Azumah 38 years, Aseidu Frank 35 years, Nkansah Paul 35 years, Musah Salifu 32 years, Bayor Paul 30 years and Daniel Gyasi 30 years.

Others are Maxwell Takye age 29, Michael Asare age 29, Akwesi Vincent age 29, Kufadji Samuel age 22, Kwadjo Owusu age 22 and Kwame Ofori age 20.

Items that were confiscated at the time of their arrest are Grease (oil) Gun, a KIA Rhino Truck with registration number GX 3459-14, a Mitsubishi L200 Pickup with registration number GR 7969-16 and11 water pumping machines.

Additionally, three heavy-duty batteries, four Excavator monitors, two Excavator control boards, two buckets of grease, 2 buckets of hydraulic oil, a toolbox and 16 phones were also seized.

According to the Crime Officer of the Joint Task Force, DSP Kwateng Yeboah, eight (8) of the suspect have been handed over to Obuasi Divisional Police Command, the other six (6) to the Obuasi District Police Headquarters whereas the seized items sent to FOB Ashanti storehouse pending investigation and prosecution.