The anti-galamsey taskforce, Operation Vanguard, has arrested 32 illegal small-scale miners at Okagya, near Kwabeng in the Atiwa District of the Eastern Region.

The suspects are Godwin Fianu 37,Yaw Forson 41, Fuseni Sulley 35, Ali Seidu 50, Zandia Akulogo 48, Akomea Boateng 37, Emmanuel Owusu 27, Tormenu Eric 27, Francis Poturphy 19, Muniru Fuseni 19, Camping Mohammed 29, Kwasi Ali 35 and Kofi Frimpong 46.

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The rest are Amartey Gideon 22, Haruna Idrissu 20, Charles Essuman 41, Samuel Yeboah 48, Kofi Agyei 46, Desmond Nana Agyeman 32, Kwadwo Nsiah 47, Kwabena Kwarteng 50,Kofi Agyeman 39, Ofori Kwame 42, Lawrence Boateng 28, Daniel Teye 32, Frank Mensah 44, Isaac Mensah 28, Yaw Amoateng 30, Kofi Osei 39, Naba Tia 27 and Aboagye Agyeman 37.

Items retrieved from the suspects included 20 pumping machines, three water holes, one grease gun, one carpet, two head pans, and one locally-manufactured riffle with three live cartridges.

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The suspects have been sent to the Regional Police Headquarters for questioning.

The “Operation Vanguard” is made up of 400 security men from the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Police Service.

The team has been divided into three groups to cover the Ashanti, Eastern and Western regions.

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They have been asked to stay at their assigned regions until all forms of illegal mining have been stopped.