The Caribbean Court of Justice issued a ruling allowing extradition proceedings to move forward against Azruddin Mohamed and his father Nazar Mohamed in a case centered on allegations of gold smuggling and money laundering. The two men had challenged the extradition request before the regional court, which serves as the final appellate body for multiple countries in the Caribbean region.
Azruddin Mohamed leads the second-largest political party in Guyana’s Parliament and was selected as the country’s opposition leader in January after establishing his party just six months prior. Both men were indicted in Florida and have consistently denied the charges against them. The pair remained free on bond following their arrest after the initial extradition request was filed.
According to U.S. authorities, the Mohameds allegedly smuggled over 10,000 kilograms of gold from Guyana to the United States while evading more than $50 million in taxes. The U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on both individuals. Their business operations previously included significant involvement in Guyana’s gold export market, with transactions directed to buyers in Miami, Dubai, and the United Arab Emirates. The family also operated a major foreign exchange service and held substantial real estate assets.
During the court hearing, attorneys representing the Mohameds contended that certain charges they face do not constitute extraditable offenses. Following the judgment, which spanned 256 pages, the family indicated through their father that they would continue pursuing their legal defense. Justice Winston Anderson acknowledged the complexity of the matter during the proceedings. The timeline for when extradition proceedings would resume was not immediately established.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI