The five “galamseyers’’ were arrested by the National Anti-galamsey Task Force at Abodom in the Bekwai District and granted bail by the court on September 6, 2017.

The names of the suspects as provided by the taskforce are Huang Shang Gao, 54; Huang Yang Gang, 36; Lin Gang Sheng, 48; Lu Yan Shan and Yan Shao Gao, 35.

According to a source close to the taskforce, some of it members and policemen from the Bekwai Divisional Command went on an operation in the Abodom area, during which they found the five Chinese who had previously been arrested at the same location for alleged illegal mining.

It said the taskforce seized quantities of freshly washed sand substances suspected to contain gold, 50 BB cartridges and some solid materials suspected to be gold.

Investigations

The source said a certified gold merchant later confirmed the solid metallic substance to be pure gold which weighed 45.65 grammes.

The suspects and the seized items have been handed over to the Bekwai Divisional Police Command for further investigations and prosecution.