Fifteen suspected illegal miners, including an alleged kingpin, have been arrested and three excavators seized during a joint security operation at an illegal mining site located near the Sanso Methodist School in Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.

The operation followed the circulation of a viral video on social media showing illegal mining activities taking place close to the school.

The footage prompted the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, to direct security agencies to verify the claims and take immediate action.

A joint team comprising National Security operatives, the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and military personnel was subsequently deployed to the area.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the illegal miners had been operating at the site for about two weeks without detection, largely because the nearby school was on vacation.

The suspects have since been transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters of the Ghana Police Service in Accra to assist with ongoing investigations.

Speaking on TV3, the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, Captain (Rtd) John Jabari, said the operation led to the arrest of 15 suspects, including the alleged leader of the group, and the seizure of three excavators.

He added that the Regional Minister has directed the Regional Reclamation Team to restore the degraded land before pupils return to school, with reclamation works expected to begin on August 3 to eliminate potential safety risks around the school.