The police service's intensified efforts to capture illegal miners have enabled the capture of many unlawful citizens.

The Western Central Regional Police Command, in two coordinated operations on Tuesday, June 24, at Adamaso and Wassa Mamieso, arrested 17 persons and seized related equipment.

At Adamaso, the team arrested 12 people, including Abraham Antwi (26), Jeremiah Adusei (37), Eric Martey (41), George Amoah (45), Misasa Jonas (25), Larry Ndaaso (42), Ezekiel Dome (22), Bismark Adu (19), Alex Sabla (34), Godfrey Acheampong (29), Ebenezer Mensah (21), and Emmanuel Appiah (25).

Five pumping machines were seized. In another intelligence-led operation near the Mamie River in Wassa Mamieso, five suspects were arrested.

They are Junior Simon (21), Stephen Tetteh (30), Samuel Kwarteng (19), Matthew Wofatey (20), and Seidu Ayigbe (30). A “Sunny Excavator 215 Control Board” was seized.

All the suspects are in police custody assisting investigation, while the retrieved exhibits have been retained.

Meanwhile, the Western Regional Police Command has conducted an intelligence-led operation targeting multiple illegal mining sites in close proximity.

Some 27 illegal miners were apprehended at Wassa Amanten.

One tricycle, one unregistered boxer motorbike, and several water pumping machines were seized. One changfan machine at the scene was torched.

Seized exhibits have been retained, and all the suspects are currently in police custody assisting investigation.

Away from illegal mining activities, the Central North Regional Police Command has arrested three suspects for robbery at Ntow-Krom near Sekyem in the Central Region.

The suspects were arrested on June 25, following intelligence received that three unidentified young men had attacked a gold dealer at Sekyem, fired shots at him, assaulted him, and fled the scene on a motorbike.

A swift response from both the Assin Foso Division and the Assin Foso District Police led to the arrest of the suspects at a snap checkpoint at Assin Nyankumase.

During the arrest, the suspects attempted to dispose of the firearm used in the robbery by throwing it into a nearby bush.

However, a search of the area led to the retrieval of a pump-action gun, a spent cartridge, and a machete. One other pump-action gun was also retrieved from the robbers.

The victim was sent to the hospital for medical attention. The three suspects are currently in police custody assisting investigations and will be put before the court.