DPI Report :Sanctioned businessman and presidential aspirant Azruddin Mohamed will not receive special treatment, Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo declared on Thursday, emphasizing that laws apply to everyone, regardless of their wealth or status.
Dr. Jagdeo’s comments came in response to a journalist’s inquiry about whether the government was intentionally allowing Mohamed to operate freely despite serious allegations against him. The Vice President, who also serves as the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), firmly rejected any suggestion of collaboration between the PPP and Mohamed or his associates.
He accused the opposition of attempting to undermine the PPP by claiming that Mohamed’s actions were encouraged by the party, especially as Mohamed struggles to gain traction among PPP supporters.
Dr. Jagdeo reminded the public that Mohamed is under investigation for allegedly smuggling 10,000 kilograms of gold over five years, resulting in an estimated loss of US$50 million in unpaid taxes to the state. He highlighted that this amount could fund the government’s “Because We Care” cash grant for schoolchildren for an entire year.
“There is no double standard in government where a wealthy person can smuggle gold, evade taxes, and engage in criminal activities without facing consequences,” he asserted. “He will be held accountable for all his criminal behavior.”
With general and regional elections scheduled for September 1, Dr. Jagdeo reiterated that the PPP is not collaborating with the Mohameds to influence opposition votes. Instead, he suggested that the Mohameds are cooperating with major opposition parties in a strategy reminiscent of the 2011 hung parliament scenario. “It will not happen. The PPP will win and win handsomely—both the presidency and a majority in parliament,” he asserted.
When asked about potential charges against Mohamed, Dr. Jagdeo stated that the matter is currently under the jurisdiction of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). He reassured reporters that the government allows these agencies to operate independently and professionally. “When they are ready, it will happen,” he said, adding that Mohamed poses no threat to the PPP.
On June 11, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against one of Guyana’s wealthiest families, Nazar Mohamed and his son Azruddin Mohamed, along with their company, Mohamed’s Enterprise, and a Guyanese government official, Mae Thomas, for their involvement in public corruption.
Reports indicate that Azruddin and Mohamed’s Enterprise evaded taxes on gold exports and defrauded the Guyanese government by under-declaring their gold exports. Between 2019 and 2023, they allegedly omitted more than 10,000 kilograms of gold from import and export declarations, avoiding over $50 million in duty taxes owed to the Guyanese government.
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