GRA to answer for under-estimated taxes on Mohameds’ luxury vehicles; post-audit normal – AG

While noting that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) would have to provide answers for its initial under-estimation of taxes on the importation of luxury vehicles by the Mohamed family several years ago, Attorney General Anil Nandlall has explained that the tax body is nevertheless empowered to conduct a “post audit” on the transactions in an attempt to recover revenues owed to the State.
He was, at the time, speaking during his programme ‘Issues in the News’ on Tuesday.

GRA has said it has “irrefutable evidence” of tax breaches by United States-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed and his relatives. Reports are that the total taxes owed by the Mohamed family amounts to some $1.2 billion, and are in linked to multiple luxury vehicles allegedly imported under false pretences or in breach of the provisions of the Remigrant Scheme.
Among the amounts cited are $479.7 million for a 2020 Ferrari registered to Hana Mohamed; $371.7 million for a 2020 Lamborghini Roadster titled to Azruddin Mohamed, and $320 million for a 2023 Rolls Royce registered to Bibi Mohamed. Additional taxes include $61.4 million for a 2023 Range Rover under Leslie Khan’s name, and $24.6 million each for two Toyota Land Cruisers also registered to Azruddin Mohamed.
According to Nandlall, “GRA always had a power to review the assessment of duty and taxes. It is called a post audit power. It is in the law, and any businessman who has had any relationship with the Guyana Revenue Authority would know of that power.”
Nandlall pointed out that it was Azruddin Mohamed who drew the GRA’s attention to his family’s underpayment of taxes when he made a post on social media. Days after the post was made, the GRA launched its investigation.
The Attorney General noted, “GRA would have to explain, or some officer who did that assessment will have to explain, why the assessment was done in the way it was done; but that doesn’t prevent the GRA from reviewing the situation. Parliament, by law, has given them that power.”
Last Saturday, agents of the GRA, accompanied by ranks of the Guyana Police Force, went to the Mohamed family’s Houston, Greater Georgetown residence to take possession of the luxury vehicles, after repeated notices and a month-long effort to resolve the matter amicably had failed.
However, the operation was halted after the officers were met by an angry mob that physically obstructed access to the premises.
The GRA’s enforcement efforts were later placed on hold by a temporary restraining order issued by Justice Gino Persaud. The court extended the order until Thursday, April 10, 2025, giving the GRA until then to respond to Azruddin Mohamed’s application for judicial review and a full injunction.
Meanwhile, during the seizure attempt at the Mohameds’ family residence, Azruddin alleged that Nandlall and Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo had threatened to send the GRA after the vehicles if he does not publicly denounce his political aspirations – an allegation the Attorney General has since dismissed as a “naked untruth”.
Nandlall has said that since the US sanctions were imposed on that family, “I have never spoken to Mr Mohamed in person or on the telephone by himself. I met with the Mohameds a few times after the sanctions. I was required to do so as Attorney General, in order to explain to them that, under the law, the Government would have to take certain measures and take certain precautionary steps to protect the financial system of Guyana…,” Nandlall added, noting that he had never met the family without their attorneys being present.
Further, Nandlall made it clear that at no time during those engagements did Azruddin Mohamed’s political ambitions surface.
“Why would I say that to this gentleman? Let us assume that I even want to say some like that; why would I say that? So he can do exactly as he’s done: say it back again? It doesn’t make sense. But it shows you that this guy can fabricate and concoct an untruth in such a barefaced manner and say that he has some type of evidence to support it. Well, hopefully he will produce the evidence,” he asserted.
The GRA has made it clear that its actions were lawful and based on concrete evidence. The agency has also emphasised that such enforcement is routine when duty-free or re-migrant concession agreements are violated.
Despite claims of political persecution by the Mohamed family, GRA has reaffirmed its stance that no individual or company is above the law when it comes to paying taxes. This assertion was underscored by parallels drawn to a 2016 enforcement action in which GRA officers seized two luxury vehicles belonging to Chinese logging giant Bai-Shan-Lin over millions of dollars in unpaid import taxes.
The revenue agency had reportedly made multiple attempts over several months to have the company settle its tax liabilities, but those efforts were ignored.
Media reports at the time had stated that the GRA’s seizure had followed persistent non-compliance from Bai-Shan-Lin, despite clear notices and opportunities for resolution.
The incident had drawn additional attention when reports surfaced that a senior APNU/AFC government official had previously intervened to halt the seizure during an operation.