Attorney General Anil Nandlall says Guyana is intensifying efforts to seize assets linked to criminal activity, as he explained the State’s acceptance of funds associated with sanctioned individuals and signalled more high-profile recoveries to come.
Speaking during his weekly Issues in the News programme on Tuesday evening, Nandlall rejected criticism over the State receiving monies tied to sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed, who has been sanctioned by the United States and is currently facing extradition proceedings.
“The State and Government can take sanctioned money and proceeds of crime money. To think otherwise is absolute nonsense,” Nandlall said.
He explained that such funds, once lawfully obtained through court proceedings, are deposited into the Consolidated Fund, stressing that the State has a duty to recover illicit wealth.
“The State will take every single sanctioned cent. Everything will happen in its time,” he added.
Nandlall said Guyana is increasingly adopting a modern approach to crime fighting, targeting the financial gains of criminal activity rather than focusing solely on prosecutions.
“The State of Guyana… will focus heavily on forfeiture of assets, properties and monies that are tainted by criminality or are considered proceeds of crime,” he said.
He noted that several pieces of legislation provide for such action, including the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, the Customs Act and, more recently, the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act.
According to Nandlall, the country is also working closely with regional and international partners, including the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Interpol and other law enforcement agencies.
Through these partnerships, Guyana shares intelligence and receives mutual legal assistance aimed at tracking and recovering criminal assets.
“This is now the identified new approach to crime fighting,” he said.
The Attorney General pointed to recent court rulings as evidence that the legal framework supporting asset forfeiture is being strengthened and upheld.
He referenced a decision by the Full Court of the High Court, which upheld earlier orders allowing the State to detain more than $14 million in Guyana currency and over US$784,000 linked to a convicted drug trafficker.
The court, he said, examined the provisions of the AML/CFT Act and affirmed the State’s authority to seize assets believed to be proceeds of crime.
In another recent matter, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire granted a detention order to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) for gold valued at more than $80 million and over $81 million in cash linked to an ongoing case.
The order allows authorities to hold the assets while criminal proceedings continue in the Magistrate’s Court.
Nandlall said these rulings demonstrate that the courts are supporting efforts to dismantle criminal enterprises by targeting their financial base.
The Attorney General revealed that additional high-profile forfeiture proceedings are already in progress, involving significant sums of money and valuable assets.
“We are working on a number of high-profile forfeiture proceedings,” he said, indicating that further developments are expected.
He maintained that the State’s approach is rooted in law and international best practice, and forms part of a broader strategy to combat organised crime and financial wrongdoing.
