Guyanese businessman facing US extradition confirmed as opposition leader

Azruddin Mohamed, a 38-year-old Guyanese businessman facing extradition to the United States on gold-smuggling and money-laundering charges, has been confirmed as Guyana’s opposition leader after 16 lawmakers from the We Invest in Nationhood party (Win) and one from a single-seat outfit voted in his favour.

Mohamed formed Win six months ago and the party quickly became the second-largest in parliament, a tally that secured his election even as a magistrate’s court was hearing state arguments for his extradition to the US. Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, were indicted last year in Florida on federal charges of gold smuggling and money laundering.

The indictments came just over a year after the US Treasury Department sanctioned the pair for allegedly smuggling more than 10,000 kilograms (22,000 pounds) of gold to the US from Guyana and evading more than $50m in taxes. The family had been among Guyana’s largest gold buyers and exporters, ran a successful foreign exchange outlet and held extensive real estate; authorities shut their businesses and commercial bank accounts after the sanctions were announced.

The case has been cited as underscoring persistent government corruption in the oil-rich country.

Key Topics

Politics, Azruddin Mohamed, Win Party, Guyana, Nazar Mohamed, Us Treasury