LUSAKA, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Authorities have arrested 37 illegal gold miners in eastern Zambia's Lumezi district as the government tries to root out illegal mining in the country, a government official said on Friday.
Joseph Bwalya, National Parks and Wildlife Ranger said the suspects were arrested on Tuesday when wildlife officers who were on patrol in a national park found them setting a camp so that they could embark on mining without documents, according to state-run news agency, the Zambian News and Information Service.
He however said 12 juveniles aged between 10 and 15 were released.
He said officers recovered various items from the suspects, such as picks, shovels buckets and axes.
The suspects are currently detained and will appear in court after being charged with illegal entry into a park with intent to conduct illegal mining.
Zambia has experienced increased levels of illegal mining, which has sometimes resulted in deaths because of the unsafe mining methods being applied by the illegal miners.
