Operation Vanguard Personnel in an operation at the general areas of Pankese and Apradan in the Kweibibirem Municipality in the Eastern Region have resulted in the arrest of 42 suspected illegal miners.

The suspects, made up of 29 locals and 16 foreigners -13 Nigeriens, One Bissau-Guinean, One Togolese and a Malian have been processed and handed over to civil police and Immigration Service respectively.

This was contained in a statement issued to the Ghana News Agency by Captain Andy Sowatey, Public Relations Officer of Operation Vanguard.

The statement said several miscellaneous equipment that were confiscated at the time of their arrest are currently held in evidence pending their prosecution.

"In other operations conducted within the past week four Chinese nationals, three Burkinabe nationals and four locals were arrested in various operations conducted in the Ashanti and Central Regions", the statement said.