In a dramatic turn of events that has captivated Guyana and drawn international attention, Azruddin Mohamed, the incoming leader of Guyana’s opposition, and his father, Nazar Mohamed, were arrested on Friday, October 31, 2025, following an extradition request from the United States. The arrest came just days before Azruddin was set to be sworn in as Leader of the Opposition, raising questions about political motivations, due process, and the far-reaching implications for the oil-rich South American nation.
According to a statement from Guyana’s Attorney General Anil Nandlall, the arrests were executed by the Guyana Police Force, acting on a warrant issued by the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court. The government had received the formal U.S. extradition request a day earlier, on October 30, in accordance with an extradition treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom, which remains in force in Guyana under the Fugitives Offender Act, as amended in 2024.
The U.S. indictment, unsealed on October 6, 2025, in the Southern District of Florida, charges both Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed with a litany of offenses: wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy, aiding and abetting, and customs-related violations. The alleged scheme, which reportedly ran from 2017 to June 2024, centers on accusations that the Mohameds conspired to defraud the Government of Guyana by evading export taxes and royalties on more than 10,000 kilograms (over 22,000 pounds) of gold. Prosecutors allege the use of falsified customs declarations and re-used export seals to disguise unpaid duties, as well as the attempted shipment of $5.3 million in undeclared gold seized at Miami International Airport and the under-invoicing of a luxury vehicle valued over $680,000.
The roots of the investigation stretch back to the mid-2010s, with intelligence and law enforcement cooperation between Guyana and the United States dating to 2016–2017. In June 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the Mohameds and their company, Mohamed’s Enterprise, for alleged tax evasion, trade-based money laundering, and gold smuggling. As reported by multiple outlets, the Government of Guyana was first officially informed of the U.S. investigation after these sanctions were imposed. U.S. agencies involved include the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
By March 2025, Guyanese authorities had received a comprehensive dossier of evidence from their U.S. counterparts, including documentation of gold export irregularities, falsified customs records, and details of undeclared shipments seized in Miami. The Mohameds’ legal team—comprising prominent attorneys such as Siand Dhurjon, Damien DaSilva, Nigel Hughes, Darren Wade, and Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde—has vowed to mount a robust defense, with Forde stating, “We are nowhere close to beginning this process. There will be major challenges – all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice.”
The timing of the arrests has drawn intense scrutiny, coming as they did just days before Parliament's scheduled reopening on November 3, when Azruddin Mohamed’s We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party was expected to take its seats for the first time. The WIN party, a newcomer on the political stage, won 16 out of 65 parliamentary seats in the September 1, 2025, general election—making it the second-largest party in the assembly and positioning Azruddin as the new opposition leader. Despite the charges, he remains eligible to attend and participate in the upcoming session, pending the outcome of the extradition hearings.
Both Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed were released on bail the same day as their arrest. Reports vary on the bail amount, with some outlets citing GYD$150,000 (roughly US$720) and others listing $750,000. Conditions of their release include surrendering their passports to the court and reporting weekly to the police, starting November 7, between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. The next court date for disclosure of evidence is scheduled for November 10, 2025, with the extradition matter adjourned to November 11.
Outside the courthouse in Georgetown, scenes of fervent support unfolded as dozens—by some accounts, hundreds—of WIN supporters gathered, chanting “We want Mohamed!” and denouncing the arrests as politically motivated. Party General Secretary Odessa Primus described the move as “an attempt to humiliate” the Mohameds, while Azruddin’s sister, Hadiyyah Mohamed, confirmed the arrests on social media, expressing the family’s dismay at the manner in which they were taken into custody.
Azruddin Mohamed himself has been vocal in proclaiming his innocence and casting the charges as a political witch hunt. “I am innocent,” he told reporters after his release. “The exportation of gold is not my business — it is my father’s business. I am a gold miner.” He went further, accusing the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) of orchestrating the extradition request to stymie his political ascent. “This was a desperate attempt by the PPP to prevent my swearing in as the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly. Who God chooses no one can oppose!” he wrote on Facebook, thanking his supporters and legal team for their solidarity.
The Mohameds’ attorneys have also questioned the legal basis for the extradition. Siand Dhurjon, one of the lawyers, argued, “Some of the offenses are not extraditable offenses under the laws of our land or even the extradition treaty that Guyana has.” The defense has indicated plans to challenge the request at every level, with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ultimately serving as the final avenue of appeal.
The case has reignited debate over corruption, transparency, and the rule of law in Guyana, a country experiencing rapid economic growth fueled by recent oil discoveries but dogged by persistent allegations of official misconduct. The Mohameds’ business empire, built on gold trading and mining, has long been a subject of controversy. The U.S. sanctions and subsequent indictment only intensified scrutiny, with critics alleging that Guyana’s export system was manipulated to evade millions in taxes and duties.
President Irfaan Ali, who secured reelection in September, has confirmed that Parliament will reconvene as planned. As the legal battle unfolds, all eyes remain on the courtroom and the political arena, where the outcome could have lasting implications for governance, international relations, and the future of Guyana’s democracy.
For now, Azruddin Mohamed stands at the center of a storm—proclaiming his innocence, surrounded by loyal supporters, and preparing for a fight that will test the limits of Guyana’s legal and political institutions.
