US-sanctioned Mohameds not immune from criminal charges despite ongoing extradition case – AG 

Despite the ongoing extradition proceedings, United States-sanctioned and indicted Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed is not exempt from facing criminal charges in Guyana.

Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, clarified that the previous charges against Mohamed were dropped because they were directly linked to the offences for which he and his father, Nazar Mohamed, are wanted in the US.
“Charges were withdrawn earlier because they related to the indictment in the United States,” Nandlall explained during his programme “Issues in the News” on Tuesday evening.
“The treaty between Guyana and the US speaks to locally instituted charges vis-à-vis the extradition proceedings, and it is up to the requested state, it is up to Guyana, to determine what decisions it will make at the time of the extradition,” he added.
The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) had dropped all local income tax evasion and gold export tax charges against the Mohameds in November 2025, after the US formally requested that the father-and-son duo be extradited. The charges had alleged that the duo understated billions of dollars in taxable income from gold exports between 2020 and 2024.
The US is seeking the Mohameds on an 11-count indictment involving conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering, connected to an alleged US$50 million gold export and tax evasion scheme.

The Opposition Leader, along with two staff members, was recently charged with unlawful firearm possession, unlawful ammunition possession, and attempting to obstruct justice following an incident outside the home of Head of the Special Branch Unit of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Prem Narine, who is a key witness in the ongoing extradition case before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Nandlall explained that “the charges that have been filed were filed as a result of the investigations done and advice given by the Director of Public Prosecutions as the law and constitution prescribe. Government don’t charge people, I keep saying that over and over again…that is a function of constitutional agencies and statutory bodies such as the Guyana Police Force, the Director of Public Prosecutions, GRA, and all these other statutory bodies.”
He added that “these charges have no relationship with the indictment in the United States.”
Nandlall said it is a misperception that the Mohameds cannot face charges locally because of the ongoing extradition case.
“It cannot be the law that because a person is subject to extradition proceedings, they can do as they wish; they can violate the laws with impunity. No legal system will [allow] that,” he noted.
In the recent charges, Mohamed and his employees were granted $750,000 bail each after they pleaded not guilty to the offences.
The obstruction charge alleges that on October 12, at Barr Street, Kitty, the men wilfully attempted to obstruct the administration of justice by discharging a firearm at or in the vicinity of Narine’s residence. The firearm and ammunition charges relate to an alleged possession of a .32 Taurus pistol and three rounds of ammunition without valid licences on October 13 at Alexander Street, Kitty.
As part of their bail conditions, the men must attend every court hearing, reside at the addresses provided to the court and report any change of address. They must also keep their contact details updated, surrender their passports and other travel documents, and inform the court before applying for replacement travel documents.
They are further required to stay away from Narine’s residence and are prohibited from traversing Barr Street between Vlissengen Road and Alexander Street, Georgetown.
They are also required to not directly or indirectly contact, threaten, intimidate, or attempt to influence any prosecution witness. Additionally, they were instructed not to obstruct or interfere with the work of the prosecution and not contact Prem Narine or his immediate family.
Meanwhile, Mohamed and his father remain on $150,000 bail each in relation to the extradition case.