Operation Vanguard on Monday, 7 January 2019 conducted patrols to illegal mining sites at Kubi in the Assin South District and Bepotenten in the Amansie Central District. The patrol team arrested 2 suspected Ghanaian illegal miners at Bepotenten. The suspects include; Salifu Yakubu 41 and Kofi Tweneboah.
The team seized 3 water pumping machines, 5 excavator control boards, 6 excavator monitors, 1 Hyundai Grace van, 1 pump action gun, 3 gold scale weighing machines, 19 AAA cartridges, 3 car batteries and and electric fuel pump.
The suspects have been handed over to the Obuasi central police station for further investigation.
Nana Akuffo-Addo launched Operation Vanguard group on 31 July 2017. The aim of the group is stopping the activities of galamseyers in the three most galamsey ravaged regions in the country. Three Forward Operating Bases (FOB) were established in those regions namely Ashanti, Eastern and Western Regions. Towns in the regions where the activities of galamseyers are high are Tarkwa in the Western, Obuasi in the Ashanti and Osino in the Eastern Regions. The JTF is made up of service men and women from the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service.