MUTASA – Over 200 illegal gold panners were arrested Tuesday at Premier Gold Fields in Mutasa Central in one of the biggest raids on the miners in the district by the police as they try to contain marauding machete wielding gangs causing terror among mining communities in the country.
Manicaland police spokesperson Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa Wednesday confirmed the arrest of the illegal miners.
“As of now l can confirm that 189 illegal miners have been arrested so far. The blitz is ongoing and we are expecting more arrests,” he said.
“We are not going back with the operation hence illegal miners should not return to illegal mining areas because they will face arrest,” Kakohwa said.
Premier Gold Fields is a new gold belt that has of late been invaded by the illegal gold miners.
It is situated along the Mutare river where the panners where illegal gold panners continue to cause serious land degradation in the area.
