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Twenty Four Chinese have been arrested by personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) for engaging in illegal mining activities in Ghana. They face deportation and a fine of GH�48,000 to be paid by the company which contracted them. The suspects were arrested while mining in the concession of Forces Field Mining Ltd at Dunkwa in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso District. Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the arrest, the Head of Public Affairs of the GIS, Assistant Comptroller of Immigration, Mr Francis Palmdeti, said the suspects had no work and residence permits which were required to legally reside and work in the country. He said the profile of the suspects indicated that they all hailed from Guangxi Province in the People�s Republic of China. He said Force Field Mining Ltd would be held responsible for the payment of the fine of GH�2,000.00 for each of the suspects as well as the provision of their air tickets for their repatriation back to China. Mr Palmdeti warned that the GIS would clamp down on activities that undermined the immigration laws of the country, adding that �it is an offence to engage the services of foreign nationals who have not been issued with work and residence permits.� He advised that any foreign national wishing to work in the country should be certain that their employers had been issued them with work permits on their behalf, before they took up the employment. Illegal mining kept polluting streams and water bodies in the Western and Central regions. While some are engaged in the act of illegal mining activities, others are involved in renting of equipment for the illegal act.