The Central North Police Command has prevented what would have been a bloody clash between the youth of four mining some illegal miners in the district over the destruction of their environment.

The communities are Assin Larteh, Nyameyedru, Praho and Tetre-Nkwanta.

Peace was, however, restored after DCOP Abraham Acquaye, the Assin North District Police Commander, met the youth who had mounted a blockage on the main road leading to Assin Larteh using sticks, clubs and wooden benches to obstruct traffic.

The demonstrators had vowed to resist what they described as the miners' continuous destruction of their environment.

DCOP Acquaye said his office got wind of the roadblock and quickly moved in to avoid any deadly clash.

The office afterwards took statements from leaders of the aggrieved parties to assist in ongoing investigations.

Later, in an interview with some residents of Larteh, they revealed how illegal mining activities had heavily polluted their water bodies, destroyed farmlands and undermined their livelihoods.

They said they were compelled to act after several appeals to the authorities yielded no response.

As part of its action to forestall peace, the police then visited sections of the Pra River, where they encountered some miners actively operating in the middle of the river.

The police fired warning shots to disperse them and halted their activities while investigations continued.