The Ghana Police Service has arrested nine more suspects and retrieved three excavators and three pump action guns in another anti-galamsey operation in the Western Region.

According to a post on the Service’s social media handle, the arrest was carried out in the wee hours of 9th September, 2022.

The suspects are said to be made up of three Chinese nationals and six Ghanaians.

On Thursday, September 8, the Service arrested five Chinese nationals over the Ellembelle missing excavators.

This was done through “a special police operation conducted between the night of 7th September till the dawn of 8th September 2022,” the statement said.

Their arrest follows the retrieval of one of the excavators.

The development had earlier resulted in the arrest of the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Ellembelle, Kwasi Bonzo, who was alleged to have attacked the police with some thugs during the operation to retrieve the excavator.

Mr. Bonzo has since been charged with five counts, according to his lawyer, Salome Erica Abakah. She said the charges he will face include assault, conspiracy to commit assault, and resisting arrest.

Although he was expected to appear before the Takoradi Circuit Court on Thursday, September 8, together with his accomplices, the case was not called.

He has however been granted bail while his thugs are still in police custody.

Meanwhile, investigations are still ongoing.