Concerns have been raised following the publication of images and videos in which Guyana’s US-indicted Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed, was being transported in a boat driven by a man who was caught in a large cocaine bust back in 2020 and is alleged to be a major drug-trafficking figure.
In the photos and live video images posted by Mohamed on his “Team Mohameds” Meta Facebook page, Mohamed was being driven around in a boat operated by Muneswar Dusrajh, known as “Bonny”.
In February 2020, Dusrajh, and another man, Latchman Sankar, were arrested and placed before the court by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) after a two-week surveillance operation intercepted a fibreglass “go-fast” vessel at Parika Backdam, East Bank Essequibo, carrying roughly 27.8 kilograms, about 61 pounds, of cocaine hidden in the bow.
Social media users reacted with concern to this development. Some pointed to the July 2023, Reuters publication in which it was stated that Azruddin and his father, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed, were under investigation by several U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security, over suspected drug trafficking, money laundering, and gold smuggling.
The report, citing intelligence documents and people familiar with the matter, also said U.S. officials had repeatedly warned ExxonMobil against doing business with the Mohameds, who were partners in a consortium building a shore base for the oil major.
Following closely after this, in June 2024, the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Azruddin, Nazar, and their company, Mohamed’s Enterprise, citing corruption and the evasion of more than US$50 million in duty taxes on gold exports.
The Mohameds have since been at the helm of controversy over several allegations of criminality.
In October last year, a federal grand jury in Miami returned an indictment charging the father and son with participating in a multi-year scheme to evade millions of dollars in taxes and royalties owed to the Government of Guyana through fraudulent gold export practices and related money-laundering activities.
According to court documents, the men were owners of Mohamed’s Enterprise, a gold wholesaler and exporter in Guyana that sold gold to buyers in Miami and Dubai.
From about 2017 through at least 2024, the pair allegedly enriched themselves and defrauded the Government of Guyana by concealing the true quantity and value of gold exported by their company.
The indictment alleges that Mohamed’s Enterprise paid taxes and royalties on one shipment of gold to obtain official government seals, then reused those same seals on subsequent shipments to avoid paying additional taxes and royalties.
Prosecutors further allege that empty boxes bearing Guyanese government seals were shipped from Dubai through Miami to Guyana and that bribes were paid to customs and other officials to facilitate the scheme.
In total, the pair allegedly exported at least 10,000 kilogrammes of gold through Miami, resulting in an estimated loss of approximately US$50 million to the Government of Guyana.
Nazar is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and mail fraud.
Azruddin is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud. The indictment also alleges that Azruddin engaged in a separate scheme to evade more than US$1 million in Guyanese taxes in connection with the shipment of a Lamborghini from Miami to Guyana.
Locally, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has accused the duo of massive underreporting of income between 2019 and 2023, resulting in 191 billion dollars in unpaid taxes, accrued interest, and penalties.
