SOCU raids Mohamed’s Enterprise

Feb 12, 2026 News

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…cash, documents seized, four detained

…Azruddin claims political victimisation

…SOCU rejects political motive, says evidence shows illegal cambio operations

(Kaieteur News) – More than 20 ranks from the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) swooped down on Mohamed’s Enterprise on Lombard Street Wednesday morning, seizing less than $2 million in cash, documents linked to gold trading and bank records, and detaining four persons for questioning.

Businessman and Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, said the premises has been closed since 2024, when he, his father Nazar Mohamed and their businesses were sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) over alleged gold smuggling.

In a statement SOCU said it.conducted a targeted joint law enforcement operation on Wednesday 11th February 2026 at a money exchange location at 29 Lombard Street, Georgetown. The operation was launched following credible information received by law enforcement that illicit activities were taking place at the premises.

“During the course of the operation, officers uncovered evidence of illegal financial operations and additional materials believed to be connected to unlawful activities were recovered at the location. All items seized are currently subject to active forensic and financial investigation,” SOCU said.

According to the law enforcement agency, several individuals were taken into custody and are assisting with ongoing enquiries. “Investigations remain active and further enforcement action will be taken where the evidence so warrants. This action forms part of an intensified national and regional security strategy aimed at disrupting organised criminal networks engaged in gold smuggling, illicit financial flows, unlicensed money exchange operations and related serious offences. It reflects strengthened coordination among domestic law enforcement agencies, joint services and regional partners to confront cross border criminal activity and protect the integrity of Guyana’s financial and security architecture,” the SOCU statement added.

The statement asserted that the Government of Guyana remains unwavering in its commitment to combat illegal activities, including the purchase, smuggling and sale of gold, money laundering, illegal cambio services and associated financial crimes. “In close collaboration with regional counterparts and international partners, Guyana will continue to pursue coordinated enforcement operations to safeguard economic stability, strengthen border security and ensure that those engaged in unlawful conduct are held accountable under the law.

Charges will be laid shortly,” the statement concluded.

They didn’t find anything

Meanwhile, Mohamed told reporters that he rushed to the scene after learning of the raid. “So immediately, I jumped in the vehicle and head down here. When I head down, I see they got a police dog, a sniffer dog. They had about 20 officers from SOCU. So, as I approach, I asked him what is going on, really, because I’m not operating here. My businesses is closed. The PPP shut down all my businesses. So, what is the purpose,” he said.

According to Mohamed, the ranks informed him that they were there to conduct a search of the premises, which he said he allowed. He further stated, “They didn’t find anything, they didn’t find any drugs, they didn’t find any large amount of money. All they found was a couple thousands.” “I think it’s less than 2 million, less than 2 million, with a lot of envelopes with $5000 inside, $10,000, $15,000, because we will normally staple envelopes to help the less fortunate,” he told reporters. Mohamed also said that one of his worker’s personal firearm was seized during the operation.

The businessman-turned-politician contended that the search was politically motivated and linked it to remarks he made during his recent budget presentation in the National Assembly, where he claimed to have financially supported the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) between 2015 and 2020.

He also claimed that his family made substantial donations to the party, some of which he said were made without receipts due to their close relationship. “I know it trigger the president and the attorney general. I know it trigger them, so I think it’s because of the speech in Parliament…I have no need to lie about it, because this is public knowledge. Everyone knows how close we were with the PPP government. Everyone knows,” he stated.

Azruddin and his father, Nazar Mohamed, along with their businesses, were sanctioned by the United States Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for alleged gold smuggling. Following the sanctions, their local bank accounts were closed and their cambio licence revoked.

Mohamed said that since the sanctions, their gold operations have ceased. “No, we don’t have any gold, because the last shipment was exported, and we couldn’t operate anymore, because that shipment was held at Miami, and that was a legal shipment that was held before the sanctions, before we were sanctioned, that shipment left this country, three weeks before,” he said.

He added that all of their businesses were shut down, with the exception of a small snackette in front of the Lombard Street building. He also stated that after their bank accounts were closed, calls were made to the Governor of the Bank of Guyana, Dr. Gobind Ganga to have an account there to save their money but this was not allowed.

“It looks like they want now to search the entire Guyana to see where, if we got whatever little cash to confiscate… I want the Guyanese people to see how wicked, how vindictive is the PPP government by all means. They want to get me out by all means,” Mohamed said. Last year, the father and son were indicted in a United States federal court in Miami, Florida, on 11 charges, including wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and the importation of a Lamborghini luxury vehicle, stemming from allegations of massive tax fraud committed against Guyana. They are currently challenging a U.S. extradition request in the local courts.

Meanwhile, in a statement on Wednesday night, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) condemned the raid and stated that the ranks were heavily armed, some masked.

“Mr. Mohamed was refused permission to photograph the alleged warrant and was not provided a copy. Legal counsel states clearly that no judge signed the warrant. It was not issued by any court of law. Portions were selectively read aloud by a rank, while other sections were concealed. The document purported to grant blanket and arbitrary authority to search and seize a wide list of innocuous items, powers that do not exist under Guyanese law,” the party further stated.

WIN also disclosed that up to 5pm, the four persons detained, including two elderly persons were still in custody. The party also disclosed that at SOCU headquarters, an attorney representing the Mohameds was refused access to meet with the detained staff.

Further, the party said that the raid was unjustified, pointing to the absence of a judge-signed warrant.

“The seizure of privileged legal materials, the deployment of a drug-sniffer dog at a non-operational premises, and the treatment of staff form part of continued political persecution by the government PPP,” WIN said.

The party also called for the immediate international scrutiny and intervention. “The weaponisation of specialised police units against political opponents threatens constitutional rights, democratic standards, and the rule of law in Guyana,” it stated.

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• Azruddin Mohamed, cambio, Mohamed's Enterprise, SOCU, victimisation

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