Copyright hgptv
GEORGETOWN – Businessman Azruddin Mohamed was arrested and charged today following ongoing investigations linked to alleged gold smuggling and financial crimes that have drawn international scrutiny. Speaking outside the courtroom, Mohamed described the manner of his arrest as “violent and humiliating,” claiming that heavily armed officers from the Special Branch and other units descended on him as though he were “a criminal.” “They came with more than twenty gunmen in masks. I thought they wanted to kill me,” Mohamed said, alleging that the operation was politically motivated. His arrest comes in the wake of U.S. sanctions targeting several Guyanese nationals and companies accused of large-scale gold smuggling and money laundering activities connected to the Middle East, Venezuela, and Brazil. “The government of Guyana is a criminal enterprise. They are the ones allowing all the Venezuelans in this country while trying to link me to smuggling.” He maintained his innocence, asserting that the exportation of gold was “his father’s business” and not his own, though he admitted to being a miner. Mohamed suggested that the charges were part of a broader political effort to prevent him from entering Parliament. “Their main objective is to stop me from entering Parliament because they know I will hold them accountable,” he declared. Mohamed also claimed that President Irfaan Ali was aware of the purchase of a Lamborghini that has been referenced in the ongoing investigation, dismissing the related charges as “deceitful and dishonest.” The businessman’s arrest follows months of tension surrounding allegations that Guyanese officials and private entities were complicit in gold smuggling schemes designed to bypass official export channels. Reports suggest that the U.S. government has been working with local and regional agencies to trace proceeds of illicit gold trades that may have fueled corruption and undermined Guyana’s financial integrity. Mohamed’s family has long been associated with substantial holdings in gold mining, property development, and luxury imports. However, their growing political ambitions and high-profile lifestyle have placed them under intense public and regulatory scrutiny. As the investigation continues, questions remain about the extent of official involvement in the alleged smuggling network and whether the case will expose deeper links between Guyana’s gold industry and transnational financial crimes.
