National Security officers have arrested three Chinese nationals and a Ghanaian near the Pra River in the Shama District for allegedly engaging in unlawful mining.

The suspects, whose identities have not been disclosed, were reportedly carrying out activities under the guise of sand extraction.

They have been handed over to the Western Regional Police Command in Sekondi for further action.

Hashem Tankonu, who led the operation, noted that some illegal miners now disguise their activities as sand winning to evade detection.

“Behind the house at the corner, there is a galamsey set up there that you see that they are doing galamsey but if you are not smart, you will be fooled by that facade of sand winning.

“But then in actual terms, they are doing the sand winning and they are doing the galamsey alongside the sand winning and you will not suspect it.”