Magistrate grants bail to Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed amid US sanctions, tax-evasion allegations

Magistrate Judy Latchman on Thursday granted GY$150,000 bail each to prominent businessmen Azruddin Mohamed and Nazar Mohamed, who are currently facing a series of criminal and financial investigations linked to alleged customs violations and sanctions imposed by the United States Government.
As part of their bail conditions, the father-and-son duo were ordered to surrender their passports and report to the police every Friday between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm.
During the proceedings, a lawyer appearing on behalf of the U.S. Government alleged that the Mohameds are part of a broader international network with connections to Venezuela and the Middle East, and suggested that they have the capacity to finance or facilitate disruptive activities.

Defence attorneys Siand Dhurjon and Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde vigorously rejected the claims, stating that no credible evidence had been presented to substantiate such serious allegations. They contended that if the U.S. Government or its representatives wished to pursue those matters, they should properly be brought before the Constitutional Court rather than raised in a criminal bail hearing. The lawyers also argued that their clients are long-standing businessmen with deep community ties and no record of absconding or interfering with investigations.

The Mohameds, who operate Mohamed’s Enterprise, a major gold dealership and trading company, were sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) earlier this year. The U.S. accused them of involvement in gold smuggling and corruption schemes, allegations they have consistently denied.

Domestically, the duo are also at the centre of an ongoing dispute with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), which has accused them of under-declaring the value of several luxury vehicles, including a 2020 Lamborghini Roadster SVJ. The GRA alleges that the undervaluation resulted in the evasion of more than $383 million in taxes.

Their attorneys maintain that the Mohameds have fully cooperated with local law enforcement and are confident that the charges will not withstand judicial scrutiny.

The matter has been adjourned until November 10, 2025, when it will return before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court for further proceedings.