Operation Vanguard Personnel in a day long patrol on Monday arrested three suspected Chinese illegal miners within around Bonsa in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality in the Western Region.

The suspects have been identified as Zhou Bing Guang, 47, Zhou Zengkui, 28 and Shi Zhotingquin, 34.

A statement issued to the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday by Captain Andy Sowatey, Public Relations Officer of the VANGUARD team, said both the suspects and a Sinoinpzii branded excavator they were operating have been handed over to Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining for further action.

The statement said other operations that were conducted within the period resulted in the seizure of a single barrel rifle, one locally manufactured rifle and the immobilization of an excavator and 178 Changfans.

The statement said some suspected illegal miners, in a recent operation, fired upon the Vanguard personnel when they approached their location.

"This attitude is unacceptable and Operation VANGUARD is therefore sounding a word of caution that it will not hesitate to defend itself if fired upon", it added.