We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Member of Parliament (MP), Dr. Andre Lewis, kicked off Monday’s budget debates by demanding more regulations within the mining sector, even as the leader of his party, U.S.-indicted Azruddin Mohamed, currently faces extradition proceedings on a number of charges, including gold smuggling.
Dr Lewis, while reading his debate speech, criticised the government’s approach to the oil and gas and mining sectors, claiming that there are shortcomings in relation to sustainability, fairness and accountability.
The MP then claimed that there is a matter of “urgent national importance regarding security of the gold industry,” claiming that his party is “convinced that a significant portion of Guyana’s gold is being diverted across the border to Venezuela.”
U.S. prosecutors allege that Mohamed and his father Nazar, conspired to commit fraud and launder money through their gold exporting firm, Mohamed’s Enterprise, to enrich themselves and defraud the government of Guyana.
The men, who were indicted in Florida but deny wrongdoing, were briefly detained in October. They are contesting the extradition proceedings in court.
The father and son have been hit with an 11-count indictment in the U.S. Florida Southern District Court. The pair face 10 counts jointly, while Azruddin is charged with an additional count related to the importation of a 2020 Lamborghini Roadster SVJ into Guyana.
Court documents allege that Azruddin and his father conspired to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy, aiding and abetting and customs-related violations connected to an alleged US$50 million gold-export and tax-evasion scheme.
GOLD SMUGGLING
The Government of Guyana has consistently reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to ending drug trafficking, gold smuggling, and organised crime. It was recently reported that police and prosecutors from Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname have joined forces in their first-ever transnational operation to combat illegal gold mining.
The cross-border operation involved over 24,500 checks on vehicles and individuals and led to almost 200 arrests. These include the detention in Guyana of three men on suspicion of gold smuggling and money laundering.
