C/R: Police arrest 8 suspects at Ayanfuri over galamsey, illicit drugs

Some 8 individuals have been arrested by the Central North Regional Police Command for engaging in illegal mining activities and illicit drug peddling at Ayanfuri in the Central Region.

This forms part of the command's sustained efforts to crack down on illegal mining and related crimes.

The individuals arrested include five Ghanaians identified as Isaac Odum, 39, and Lazarus Sango, 44, believed to be the owners of the site. Other Ghanaian suspects include Stephen Nkrumah, 30; Kofi Emmanuel, 23; and John Nkrumah, 27.

Three Burkinabe nationals, Sulemana Naaba, 36; Benjamin Adibanga, 29; and Iddis Rogo, 30, were also arrested at the site.

The team seized five pumping machines, two rubber bowls containing sand, a gasoline generator, and a gallon of cyanide, a deadly chemical commonly used in illegal mining.

At a news conference, DCOP Abraham Acquaye told Citi News that all the suspects are currently in custody and will be arraigned before court for further action.

However, he noted that the Central North Regional Command's efforts to combat illegal mining are being hindered by the inactivity of the Assin Fosu District Court, which has been non-operational for over four months due to the judge's indisposition.

DCOP Acquaye explained that as a result, the police have been left with no option but to grant bail to suspects in galamsey-related cases. However, the command says it will not relent on its efforts to crack down on galamsey in the area.

The IGP, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, has deployed over 60 personnel from the National Headquarters to assist the Central North Regional Command in effectively combating the menace of illegal mining.

DCOP Acquaye, therefore, urged the public to provide timely information to support efforts in clamping down on other criminal activities, including drug trafficking.