Guyana intelligence chief admits destroying records in Mohamed extradition case

Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, head of the Guyana Police Force’s Special Branch intelligence unit, testified in court that he shredded and burned operational records related to the 2025 arrest of businessmen Nazar Mohamed and his son, Azruddin Mohamed.

The destruction of the documents occurred in January 2026 at the Special Branch headquarters. Narine admitted to running three operational notebooks through a shredding machine and personally burning the remnants. He stated he felt obligated to destroy anything he personally considered secret, though he could not clarify if this was based on the Official Secrets Act or internal police policy.

The testimony took place during extradition proceedings before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman. The United States is seeking the extradition of the father and son to face trial in a Florida Federal Court on charges including wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering.

The missing records are significant because they reportedly contained information regarding a private conversation between the Mohameds and a US Marshal that took place on the morning of their arrest. While the arrest was formally recorded in a police station diary, the specific details of the interaction with the US federal agent were omitted from official statements.