10,000kg smuggled gold: “You can’t buy your way out of criminality” – VP warns

…as investigators zero in on GRA, Gold Board, airport staff; shipment patterns; phone calls

Investigations into the alleged gold smuggling by the Mohamed family and their businesses have been ongoing, with local law enforcement agencies examining several factors that would have supported this alleged criminal activity.
Guyanese businessmen Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed, along with their businesses: Mohamed’s Enterprise; its subsidiary, Hadi’s World; and Team Mohamed’s Racing Team, have been sanctioned by the United States Government over gold smuggling and public corruption allegations.
Pressed for an update on the investigation during his press conference on Thursday, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo disclosed this is ongoing with the Guyana Police Force (GPF), its white-collar arm – the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) all conducting independent probes.
The VP indicated that these agencies are “…looking at the shipment of gold out of the country and who were officers in the [Guyana] Gold Board, the [Guyana] Geology and Mines Commission, and the [Cheddi Jagan International] Airport – everywhere, on duty at that time, and to look at patterns. We know that there are people also from GRA who are being examined, and they are looking at calls made to [Azruddin Mohamed] during that period etc.”
According to Jagdeo, the investigation spans beyond the five years that the US has covered, that is, 2018 to 2023.
“So, I’m aware that those investigations are ongoing. So, there would be a number of people who will have to face accountability when this matter is dealt with,” the VP stated.
Jagdeo had previously said that these investigations are being handled at the technical level by the aforementioned law enforcement agencies, with the executive maintaining arms-length in the current political season, and the fact that Azruddin Mohamed has entered the race to contest the 2025 General and Regional Elections slated for September 1.
However, he assured that the matter will be vigorously pursued once the elections are over and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic regime returns to office.
“[The matter is] not disappearing. After the six weeks, there will be a return to a lot of these issues, and people will have to pay their taxes with the penalties [and] they have to face accountability for all of the illegalities. You can’t buy your way out of criminality. We made this clear,” Jagdeo stressed.
The Vice President went on to dismiss concerns that the government is pussyfooting around this issue out of fear of being accused of political persecution. He further rubbished concerns that Mohamed has entered the electoral race to secure a seat in the Parliament in order to escape prosecution for these alleged activities.
According to Jagdeo, Guyana’s parliament, unlike many other countries, does not grant immunity for criminal activities to either sitting or former members of the National Assembly.

US sanctions
Back in June 2024, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued the sanctions against the businessmen and their businesses, stating that Mohamed’s Enterprise smuggled some 10,000 kg of gold out of Guyana between 2019 and 2023, and avoided paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes.
Shortly after the sanctions, Guyana had requested the relevant information and documentation from the US Department of Justice (DoJ) to assist local investigations on the allegations of falsification of import and export documents, evasion of taxes, and bribery of customs and government officials to facilitate illicit gold shipments, and the award of government contracts.
In addition, the GRA had also requested information, dating back to 2015, from the US’ Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Some nine months after that request, local law enforcement agencies, including the GPF and GRA, received a ‘sufficient volume’ of evidence to take action against the businessmen.
Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, S.C., had told reporters back in March that this is an ongoing investigation, and the local authorities are continuing to work with the US on this matter.
Meanwhile, in addition to the Mohameds, the US had also sanctioned former Permanent Secretary of the Home Affairs Ministry, Mae Thomas, for public corruption. Thomas, who was moved to the Labour Ministry before being sent on administrative leave since June last year, remains on admin leave.
In OFAC’s June 11, 2024 sanctions, Under-Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian E. Nelson, said, “Today’s action underscores our commitment to holding accountable those who seek to exploit Guyana’s underdeveloped gold sector for personal gain…Treasury, in close coordination with our partners in US law enforcement, will continue to take action to safeguard the US financial system from abuse by corrupt actors.”