GRA uncovers conspiracy between employees, Azruddin Mohamed on vehicle transfers

– says transactions in breach of AML regulations

The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has revealed that it is investigating several employees who are believed to have aided and abetted United States (US)-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed in the transfer of several motor vehicles late last year. In a statement on Friday, the GRA said the transfers took place between November 27, 2025, and December 5, 2025, in breach of both regulations associated with the transfer of motor vehicles and the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations. “A perusal of the Authority’s records reveal that the identical employees were responsible for the off-premises examination of the vehicles, lodgement, approval of the transfer documents, and the dispatch and receipt of payment to effect the said transfers, with many of the transferees residing at similar addresses in Republic Park and Atlantic Gardens, and Hill Top, Timehri, East Bank Demerara,” the statement detailed.
According to the GRA, investigations have so far revealed that 11 such transfers, including luxury vehicles, were done. The tax agency assured that “all participants in these illegal activities will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, with arrests expected shortly. Investigations are ongoing, and the Authority’s international partners have been apprised.” The investigations add another dimension to the current legal issues surrounding Azruddin Mohamed, a businessman-turned-politician, who, along with his father, Nazar Mohamed, is currently facing extradition to the US.
Both men have been indicted by a grand jury in the District Court for the Southern District of Florida on 11 criminal charges ranging from wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering, primarily connected to the export of gold to the US by their company, Mohamed’s Enterprises.

US sanctioned and indicted
The Mohameds are accused of conspiring to defraud the US and Guyanese Governments between 2017 and June 11, 2024. They are accused of using a scheme to unlawfully obtain property by transmitting communications via interstate and foreign commerce in violation of US laws. According to the US prosecutors, the goal was to enrich themselves and defraud the Government of Guyana by evading taxes and royalties on gold exports. They allegedly reused Guyana customs declarations and official seals on multiple shipments to make it appear that taxes and royalties had been paid when they had not. The indictment stated that Mohamed’s Enterprise would pay taxes and receive official GRA and Guyana Gold Board (GGB) seals for one shipment, then reuse those same seals and documents on subsequent, untaxed shipments. The indictment further alleges that the Mohameds arranged for empty wooden boxes bearing intact GRA and GGB seals to be shipped from gold buyers in Dubai to Miami and then sent to Guyana. These boxes were then used to export gold while falsely appearing to have cleared customs and tax obligations. US authorities allege the scheme resulted in more than US$50 million in lost taxes and royalties to the Government of Guyana. Additional indictments detail similar conduct involving shipments of gold, emails allegedly from Nazar Mohamed requesting the sealed boxes from Miami, and exports of over 165 kilograms (kg) of gold per shipment destined for Dubai.
Charges six to nine focus on mail fraud, referencing the shipment of sealed empty boxes from Dubai to Miami, while charge 10 addresses money laundering, which alleges that the Mohameds knowingly transferred funds within the US with the intent to promote unlawful activity. The other charge has to do with Azruddin Mohamed purchasing and importing a Lamborghini sports car to Guyana in 2020. The indictment alleges he directed someone to purchase the car for US$680,000, then falsify the invoice to state a value of US$75,300 to understate import taxes. The US Government is seeking forfeiture of certain assets connected to the accused. If convicted, most charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and fines of up to US$250,000, while the money laundering charge carries a fine of US$500,000 or the value of the laundered property.
The indictment follows sanctions imposed over a year ago by the US Government on the Mohameds, their businesses and Guyanese Government Permanent Secretary (PS) Mae Thomas in relation to the same allegations. The sanctions are related to the evasion of taxes on gold exports, with the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) noting that between 2019 and 2023, Mohamed’s Enterprise omitted more than 10,000 kg of gold from import and export declarations and avoided paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes to the Government of Guyana. Since the imposition of the sanctions, the Guyana Government had suspended the licences of the Mohameds’ various businesses, highlighting that the US-sanctioned businessman is a risk and a threat to Guyana’s financial stability, sovereignty and diplomacy. Subsequently, several Government entities and local businesses, including commercial banks, have cut ties with the Mohameds.