Mohameds granted bail as US extradition proceedings begin

United States-indicted businessmen Azruddin Mohamed and his father Nazar Mohamed have been granted $150,000 bail each, as the extradition proceedings against them was adjourned to November 11.

Both men were arrested today and taken to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts where extradition proceedings against them commenced before Magistrate Judy Latchman.

The Guyana Government confirmed that it received the extradition request from the US on Thursday.

The Mohameds are the subject of an indictment unsealed on October 6, 2025, by a US Grand Jury sitting in the Southern District of Florida, which charges them with multiple offences including wire fraud, mail fraud, money-laundering, conspiracy, aiding and abetting and customs-related violations connected to an alleged US$50 million gold export and tax evasion scheme.

The indictment alleges that between 2017 and June 2024, the accused conspired to defraud the Government of Guyana by evading export taxes and royalties on over 10,000 kilograms of gold, using falsified customs declarations and re-used export seals to disguise unpaid duties. The indictment further references the attempted shipment of US$5.3 million in undeclared gold seized at Miami International Airport, and the alleged under-invoicing of a luxury vehicle valued at over US$680,000.

The Mohameds’ were represented by Attorneys Siand Dhurjon, Nigel Hughes, and Roysdale Forde who argued that the offences for which their clients are wanted in the US are not “extraditable offences”.

Dhurjon said the defence team also alleged a constitutional breach in the amendment to the Fugitives Offender Act, submitting that “the constitution says where we raise such a constitutional point, the magistrate is duty-bound to refer it to the High Court.”

“So, we come back in November…to debate on that point further,” Dhurjon noted.

As such, Magistrate Latchman granted bail in the sum of $150,000 each and ordered that their passports be lodged, and that they report to the police every Friday.

The US government’s request for extradition was made pursuant to an extradition treaty between the United States of America and the United Kingdom which extends to and remain in force in Guyana under the provisions of Section 4(1)(a) of the Fugitives Offender Act, Cap. 10:04 as amended by Act No. 10 of 2024.

See full statement from the Guyana Police Force:

The Guyana Police Force confirms that Nazar Mohamed and Azruddin Mohamed were this morning, Friday, October 31, 2025, arrested by ranks acting under the authority of warrants issued by a Magistrate of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

The warrants were issued following an application made by State Prosecutors after the filing of an indictment before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Fugitives Offenders Act, Cap. 10:04, as amended by Act No. 10 of 2024.

On October 30, 2025, the Government of Guyana received a formal request for extradition from the Government of the United States of America pursuant to the Extradition Treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom, which extends to and remains in force in Guyana under Section 4(1)(a) of the said Act.

Upon consideration of the evidence and materials presented, the Magistrate granted the application and accordingly issued warrants of arrest for the two accused individuals. Acting on these warrants, ranks of the Guyana Police Force arrested Mr. Nazar Mohamed, 73 years, a Businessman of Lombard Street and Mr. Azruddin Mohamed, 38 years, a Businessman of Republic Park at separate locations in Georgetown.

Both individuals were taken into custody at the Brickdam Police Station, and later escorted to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where they appeared before Senior Magistrate, Judy Latchman to commence the judicial extradition process. They were each granted bail in the sum of $150,000Gyd, with conditions to lodge their passports with the Court, and report to the Police every Friday. The matter was adjourned to November 11, 2025.

The Guyana Police Force remains steadfast in executing its duties, in full accordance with judicial direction, due process and the rule of law.