The Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM) taskforce has arrested five persons for mining in the Birim River at Mampong in the Atewa East District of the Eastern region.
The taskforce also set ablaze 40 changfans and confiscated two newly built machines which were just about to be deployed into the river.
The suspects are part of numerous recalcitrant illegal miners who returned to the site to continue their illegalities a few days after the military visited the area to burn several changfans.
Two of them were arrested right in the middle of the river when the taskforce surrounded them while they were busily mining with their changfan.
When the task force was moving out of the site, they chanced on a truck conveying two newly built changfans being transported to the same site.
Two occupants of the truck took to their heels upon seeing the task force, but they were given a hot chase by the task force and were subsequently arrested.
The last person, identified as Nana Kwadwo Ayimadu, who appeared claiming ownership of the changfans and others who tried to prevent the taskforce from towing the truck with the changfans, was also arrested.
Speaking with Adom News, the Treasurer of GNASSM, who led the operations, Thomas Larbi, affirmed their commitment to deal with illegal miners polluting water bodies in the country.
He added that, the suspects will be taken to the Kibi District Police Command and be arraigned before court.
Meanwhile, the truck with the newly built changfans has also been handed over to the police to aid their investigations.
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