Police have arrested 16 illegal miners who tried to make an unauthorized entry into the concession belonging to AngloGold Obuasi Mine.

The suspects according to Citi News sources in the Police Service confirmed that the 16 suspects on Tuesday evening tried using unauthorized routes to gain access to a mine shaft in search of gold deposits.

The incident coincides with ongoing efforts by authorities to rescue other illegal miners trapped in the mine shaft.

Out of the over 300 illegal miners trapped in the mine shaft, 80 have been arrested so far, with 48 being apprehended earlier and an additional 32 later on Tuesday.

The 32 suspects were charged and granted bail, while the remaining 16 have been transferred to the Bekwai Divisional Police Command for further investigation.

On Tuesday, a team of armed military and police personnel was deployed to restore calm following the arrest of the 48 illegal miners who exited the mine shaft belonging to AngloGold Ashanti.

The youth besieged the Obuasi police station to demand the release of their colleagues who were trapped in the shaft mine and later arrested.

Armed men with armoured vehicles were stationed at the police station to repel any attack by the youth.

They fired gunshots to disperse the angry youth who vowed not to return to their various homes until their colleagues are released.