Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed arrested following U.S. indictment on gold smuggling charges

Guyanese businessmen Azruddin Mohamed and his father Nazar Mohamed were arrested in Georgetown on Friday, just weeks after being indicted by the United States government on charges of gold smuggling, wire fraud and money laundering, sources have confirmed.

The arrests were carried out by ranks of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Special Branch of the Guyana Police Force.

Azruddin was arrested at Smyth Street, Georgetown. Both men were taken into custody and remain detained as investigations continue.

While the full details surrounding their arrests are still emerging, it is suspected to be linked to their recent U.S. indictment, which stems from an ongoing investigation into alleged gold smuggling and related financial crimes. Law enforcement officials in Guyana have not yet issued an official statement on the arrests.

Meanwhile, Azruddin was expected to appear before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court this afternoon in connection with a local tax evasion case involving the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

The Mohameds—well-known through their company Mohamed’s Enterprise—were indicted earlier in October in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The indictment outlines 11 charges combined against the father and son, including gold smuggling, wire fraud, and money laundering, each carrying a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

In 2024, both men were sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for alleged involvement in corrupt practices and illicit gold trading activities.

Following their indictment, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC, had said Guyana was ready and willing to facilitate an extradition request from the United States once it is formally submitted.

He further dismissed claims that the case was politically motivated, noting that the alleged offences span from 2017 to 2024, covering two U.S. administrations—Donald Trump and Joe Biden—and two successive Guyanese governments—the APNU+AFC and PPP/C.

Although an extradition request has not yet been made public, Friday’s arrests mark a significant development in a case that has drawn both local and international scrutiny.

Authorities are expected to release further details as the investigation progresses.