Operation Vanguard picks up six Chinese illegal miners in Ashanti

The joint military, police taskforce on illegal mining, Operation Vanguard, has picked up six Chinese illegal miners from the Ashanti region.

Three of them were picked up at Adumanu near Anglogold Ashanti's airstrip in the Obuasi Municipality on Tuesday whilst the other three were picked up at an illegal mining site at Tontonkrom in the Amansie West District.

Briefing Graphic Online, Major Adams Gariba Pabi who speaks for the Operation Vanguard Task force said those picked up at Adumanu gave their names as Chen Yu, 31, Li Weiqueng, 54 and Pen En, 34.

They had in their possession mining equipment at the time of the arrest and have since been handed over to the Obuasi Divisional Police command for the necessary legal processes.

For the three who were arrested on Monday, Major Pabi said they were arrested at a house close to an illegal mining site at Tontonkrom, where a total of 175 “Chanfan” platforms has since been immobilized by the task force.

They gave their names as Zhuo Mingwei, 29, Wen Zhuoyong, 29 and Wen Zhong, 27.

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Major Pabi said even though they were not mining at the time of their arrest, they could not produce their immigration documents for verification.

They have since been handed over to the Manso Nkwanta District Police command for Immigration authorities to ascertain their Immigration status, he said.

Operation Vanguard has since its inauguration a month ago, arrested a total of eight foreigners made up of one Burkinabe, one Nigerian and six Chinese in the illegal mining business.

Major Pabi has therefore called on the public to volunteer information which will help rid the nation of foreign illegal miners who are deeply involved in the wanton destruction of the environment.

He said the Joint Taskforce operation is ongoing and will catch up with any such foreigners who are still carrying out illegal mining activity with impunity.