Former Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman has disclosed that the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) shared critical intelligence on gold smuggling activities with Guyana’s APNU+AFC administration. Trotman confirmed that prominent gold dealers, including Azruddin Mohamed and his father Nazar “Shell” Mohamed, were flagged in these investigations, though they were not the primary focus at the time. The US authorities were primarily concerned about the proceeds of Guyana’s gold being used to undermine US national interests, rather than violations of Guyanese laws. Trotman emphasized that the briefings were highly confidential and did not involve specific requests for action from the Guyanese government. He also highlighted the APNU+AFC’s efforts to combat gold smuggling, citing a significant increase in gold declarations between 2015 and 2020. However, annual gold declarations have declined since 2020, influenced by factors such as weather conditions, taxation policies, and fluctuating international gold prices. Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has recently called for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged involvement of government officials in gold smuggling, with the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Guyana Police Force leading the probe. The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has already sanctioned the Mohameds for allegedly evading over $50 million in taxes and bribing government officials to facilitate illicit gold shipments. Despite these allegations, no Guyanese government officials have been charged in connection with the case.
US flagged Mohameds, other gold dealers for smuggling during APNU+AFC government- Former Natural Resources Minister
