At least some 18 persons suspected to be engaging in illegal mining (galamsey) were on Sunday, May 27, 2018, arrested by the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ashanti of Operation Vanguard at Datano and its environs in the Manso kwanta District.

The suspects are Michael Adzeoda, 24, Kwesi Ofori, 34, Alfred Techi, 25, Edo Amema, 18, Akpalu Louis, 24, Prince Johnson, 19, Samuel Asiedu, 25, Ataa Bottey, 32 and Samson Kollan, 26.

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The rest are James Banson, 21, Sunday Asuri, 18, Mohammed Moro, 29, Ibrahim Duut, 25, Akwesi Asamoah, 20, Kofi Nyantekyi, 20, Jacob Kwame, 20, Michael Azuri, 29 and Pukimbia Lamban, also 45 years old.

The team also seized three water pumping machines, two excavator control boards, two excavator monitors, one excavator gear lever and three mobile phones.

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All the suspects have been sent to the Datano police station for further investigation for possible prosecution.

Again in Kokotenten and Wiamoase in the Adansi South District, the team conducted operations to illegal mining sites leading to the confiscation of two CAT excavators.

The team removed the excavator gear levers, control boards and a monitor.