Seven Chinese nationals who allegedly blocked the River Offin at Assin Asamang in the Central Region to engage in illegal dredging for gold on the river bed have been arrested by the police and agents of the Minerals Commission. They are Zhein Quing Zhu, Zeng Guang Hua, Jia Hai Sheng, Jia Tong Wen, Wang Xicheng, Yang Shao Guei and Ming Yuan Jiang. The suspects, who have been granted police enquiry bail, will be put before the Assin Fosu District Magistrate Court Wednesday. The Assin Fosu Divisional Crime Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police Seth Doe, briefed the Daily Graphic at Assin Asamang last Sunday after he and the Assin Fosu District Officer of the Small-Scale Mining Department of the Minerals Commission, Mr Kojo Cleland, had led the Daily Graphic to inspect the effects of the illegal mining activities on the environment. ASP Doe said on January 13, this year, after an informant at Assin Kenya, near Assin Asamang, had hinted Mr Cleland about the illegal activity, Mr Cleland mobilised his men to arrest five Chinese illegal miners, including a woman, who were at that time busily working on a dredge on the Offin River. He said the woman was given self-cognisance bail, while the four men were put before the Assin Fosu District Magistrate Court and remanded in police custody until January 18 to enable the police to acquire the services of an interpreter for the Chinese. The accused were to reappear before the court on February 4, 2010 but they were granted bail two days later on ill health. The divisional crime officer said on February 4, this year, there was another joint operation, during which the seven Chinese were arrested when they were busily working on two different dredges on the same river at Assin Asamang. ASP Doe stated that the suspects were initially placed in police custody for 48 hours, after which they were granted bail, adding that they would be arraigned before the Assin Fosu District Magistrate Court. Mr Cleland told the Daily Graphic that his outfit had gathered information that there were four large dredges on the Offin River being encouraged by the Assin Asamang and Assin Nyaduam communities, with the support of some influential people in the area. “There are also reports that as many as 900 dredges are being manned by Ghanaians'on the Offin and the Pra rivers," he stated, adding that it had been established that there were a number of manufacturing points for dredges at Twifo Praso, Twifo Morkwa and their environs. Mr Cleland said he had had a hint that the local authorities, such as chiefs and opinion leaders, were involved in those illegal activities. Source: Daily Graphic/Ghana