Ghana Police: 3 Chinese And 6 Ghanaians Arrested At Western Region In Clamp Down On Illegal Mining

• Police say they have arrested three Chinese nationals and some Ghanaians in Western Region for their involvement in illegal mining
• Police also said three excavators and pump action guns were retrieved in the operation to clampdown on illegal mining
• Police swung into action after they were accused of looking on while an excavator seized because it was used in illegal mining went missing in their custody

Police have announced the arrest of three more Chinese nationals and six Ghanaians for illegal mining activities in Ellembelle in the Western Region.

The arrest is in connection with a report in The Chronicle newspaper alleging that an excavator seized for its use in illegal mining (or galamsey) had gone missing from police custody.

Police denied the report and vowed to clamp down on all illegal mining activities in the area.

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Shortly after, police announced on their Facebook page that the missing excavator had been found. They also arrested DCE for Ellembelle, Kwasi Bonzo, for his involvement in the alleged missing excavator claim against the police.

In their latest release, police announced that apart from the arrest of three Chinese and six Ghanaians, three more excavators and three weapons have been retrieved from illegal miners.

“The Police, in the wee hours of 9th September, 2022 arrested nine more suspects and retrieved three excavators and three pump action guns in another anti-galamsey operation in the Western Region,” the police said.

Police Recover Missing Excavator; DCE And Three Others Arrested

Police have disclosed that after days of intelligence operations, on September 6, 2022, their men retrieved one of the excavators that were reported missing from Ellembelle.

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According to a short statement on their Facebook page, police said a team of operations and intelligence officers working day and night discovered the missing excavator.

It was discovered several kilometres into a forest within the Ellembelle District, police said.

“While the team of police officers were escorting the excavator to Takoradi, at the Axim Junction, the DCE of Ellembelle, Mr Kwasi Bonzo, organised and led some thugs to attack the police and obstruct the operation. The DCE and three others were therefore arrested accordingly.

“Investigation continues to recover the other excavator and arrest all those behind it to face justice,” police said.

Excavators Missing In Police Custody

The Chronicle reported in a previous story that two excavators seized by security forces because they were being used for illegal mining had gone missing in police custody.

But police swiftly moved in to deny the story by the newspaper, denying ever taking charge of the excavators from the DCE, Mr Bonzo.

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Police recover missing galamsey excavator; DCE and 3 others arrested

They promised to look into the allegation and find the missing heavy duty equipment.

Source: YEN.com.gh