Police seize licensed guns from the Mohameds

May 06, 2026 News

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(Kaieteur News) – Members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Tuesday morning confiscated five personal firearms belonging to Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and father, Nazar ‘Shell’ Mohamed at their Houston, East Bank Demerara (EBD) residence.

Inspectors L. Blair McGregor and T. Hinds, accompanied by two plainclothes officers, arrived at the property around 10:00hrs. The operation was carried out under the instruction of the Divisional Commander of Region 4 “A,” Deputy Police Commissioner Simon McBean. The officers were ordered to seize the weapons, citing sanctions imposed on the Mohameds by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The operation resulted in the removal of five personal firearms.

Azruddin Mohamed surrendered one 12-gauge shotgun, one 5.56 mm (.223) rifle, and one .45 pistol. His father handed over one .32 handgun and one 12-gauge shotgun. This brings the total number of weapons surrendered by the family to approximately 75, including those previously held for security purposes.

Authorities have not yet publicly responded to the allegations made by the Mohameds.

Inspector McGregor read a letter to the Mohameds signed by Deputy Commissioner McBean. The letter stated:

“In light of these serious allegations of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, for which they were indicted in the Southern District of Florida, the suspects must show cause, in writing, why their firearm licences should not be revoked in keeping with the Firearms Act. Furthermore, you are required to immediately surrender all firearms and ammunition currently in your possession, along with their corresponding licences, to the police officer(s) serving this document.”

Speaking to members of the media during the operation, Azruddin Mohamed stated that the move was inconsistent with earlier engagements with authorities and left him feeling exposed.

“We had our firearms…our security firearms…until March of 2025,” he said. “The President himself told my father, after we were sanctioned, that they would not go after our personal firearms; the sanctions have to do with the United States of America. We are Guyanese. It is my democratic right to protect myself, my family, and my businesses. The same guns they seized are the same guns that protected the President, his wife, Zulfikar Mustapha and many others.”

Azruddin added, “Every day, I’m going out here to meet the people. Just yesterday, I went to Bartica… I want the world to know that we had our security firearms until March 2025.”

Mohamed also claimed he had been pressured politically. “All of this happened because I refused to release a statement saying that I won’t be running for office,” he alleged. He further explained that he had already complied with previous requests to surrender weapons linked to his security business.

“When three police came to my business place to collect the security weapons, I asked them, ‘Do you want my personal weapons too?’ and they said, ‘No… we are here only to collect the security weapons because your licences as they relate to the business have been cancelled.’”

“I handed over about 70 guns. They said then they didn’t need my personal firearms,” he continued. “I even renewed the licences for my guns just 10 days ago… and then suddenly, you come here today.”

While stressing that he respected the police, Nazar Mohamed suggested the ranks were acting on higher instructions. “I’m not blaming you in any way. I know you get instructions from higher up… I respect the police and the role they play in our country,” he said.

Nazar Mohamed also addressed the media, invoking both his long history as a firearm holder and his religious faith. “I have had guns for over 40 years. I had guns when Mr. Hoyte was president,” he said. “I am a man of God. Guns don’t really matter to me… I put my trust in Allah. Allah is the one who protects me, not guns. If guns could protect people, John F. Kennedy would not have been assassinated.”

He further questioned the basis for the seizure, noting, “Jagdeo himself said there was no need for the police to seize personal weapons because the security firearms were related to the business.”

Azruddin Mohamed maintained that the latest action placed his life at risk. “Of course, I’m scared for my life. This was my last straw… we had security at my residence, and now we have nothing.”

“I want the world to know that the political persecution continues. No one is safe under this dictatorship,” he declared. He insisted all firearms were legally held, noting that his father’s licences were renewed as recently as April 27, 2026. “We have had firearms for 20 years and have never been asked by the police to give a statement for anything inappropriate.”

He also raised concerns about unequal treatment, claiming, “I know of another individual sanctioned by OFAC who still has their firearms. So, this is political persecution.”

Hana Mohamed, sister of the Opposition Leader, echoed these sentiments at the scene. “Why should any citizen of this country have to go through this degree of harassment? The government is doing too much,” she said.

Similarly, Odessa Primus a Member of Parliament (MP), who was present during the seizure, argued that the move undermined personal safety. “People have to be able to protect themselves. This now opens this family to anything,” she said. Primus condemned the timing of the action, noting it occurred on Arrival Day.

“It’s a shame and a disgrace that this PPP (People’s Progressive Party) government continues to trample on the rights of Guyanese citizens,” Primus added, calling on the U.S. Ambassador, as well as the Canadian and British High Commissioners, to intervene.

Meanwhile, Parliamentary lead for the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Dr. Terrence Campbell in a personal statement posted on his Facebook page empathized with the Mohameds. The parliamentarian said while he holds no brief for the Mohameds, they are facing no criminal charges in Guyana and have been indicted but not convicted in the U.S. courts.

“…in any event, gun licenses have been issued to folks who served criminal sentences in the US. Fifth, the decision to seize the personal weapons of the Mohameds is clearly a political one and is further evidence of the weaponization of state agencies like the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Revenue Authority against political opponents,” Campbell said.

The APNU representative reminded that the Mohameds were sanctioned in June 2024 “so I cannot understand why, if seizure of their weapons was necessary, it took two years to do so.”

“At the time the sanctions were issued, several steps, like termination of cambio and marine licenses in addition to closure of bank accounts, were taken. It is obvious that the wicked PPP cabal did not see seizure of personal weapons as legal or even necessary at that time. Consequently, I have no hesitation in describing today’s seizure as a political move which should be roundly condemned by all Guyanese. It is yet another reason why this wicked government must be removed from office.”

Campbell said, “I, therefore, have little difficulty in empathizing with the Mohameds on this Arrival Day.”

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• Azruddin Mohamed, guns, licensed guns, Simon McBean

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