The Court has confirmed that Netherlands Businessman, Vitesh Guptar, who was wanted in his homeland to face drug trafficking claims successfully fought off an extradition request that was sent to Guyana in 2024.

Guptar was wanted for aggravated criminal conspiracy to commit international drug trafficking. He had been on Interpol’s red list since 2019.

In March 2024, he was arrested in Guyana, and placed before the Court as the extradition request was made.

The Order to Proceed was subsequently granted by the then Minister of Home Affairs. However, in October, 2024, Guptar was discharged of the committal proceedings.

The Court informed News Source on Monday that the accused had been “discharged of the committal proceedings”.

News Source understands that there was insufficient evidence to commit Guptar to be extradited, and as such, the matter was dismissed. Guptar was represented by Attorney-at-Law Ronald Daniels.

Guptar’s case has been thrown into the spotlight by Billionaire Businessman and Leader of the WIN party, Azrudin Mohamed, who is currently fighting off an extradition request that was made by the US.

Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed are both named in the request. They are facing an 11-count indictment related to money laundering, wire fraud and tax evasion.

In one of his latest Facebook posts, Mohamed said that the Government continues to expend millions of dollars on attorneys in his extradition matter, while there was no real effort to have Guptar extradited. He said Guptar is linked to the governing party.

“Guptar, after being formally arrested in Guyana in March 2024 on an Interpol Red Notice was silently passed through our courts without Irfaan, Jagdeo and Anil ever speaking on this extradition matter. On the other hand, my arrest was a public spectacle where dozens of masked men baring high powered rifles ambushed me in the street and handcuffed and threw me into the back of the police van,” Mohamend said.

He said in the Guptar case, there was no challenge of the decision by the Magistrate.

“You know what is the most alarming part of all of this? After Guptar won the case, the government did not appeal it in the higher court. My case just started and the government has already indicated that they will be appealing the matter if I successfully defeat the state. It is clear that the only reason that President Irfaan, Vice President Jagdeo and Attorney General Nandlall are pushing hard and fighting tooth and nail for my extradition is because I am their Political Opponent. My extradition matter has extensive political interference from the very beginning even before my indictment and continuing through my proceedings currently before the courts. It is clear political persecution,” Mohamed said.

He said it is becoming clearer that he is really a victim of political persecution.

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