Dr. Jagdeo: Full investigation coming into Gold Board, customs officials linked to Mohameds’ smuggling, tax evasion scheme

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has announced that a full-fledged investigation will be launched into the alleged network of public officials who enabled the gold smuggling and tax evasion activities connected to prominent businessmen Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed.

Speaking during his weekly press conference at Freedom House, Dr. Jagdeo said the time had come to hold accountable all those who “collaborated and were complicit” in allowing the Mohameds to evade massive sums owed in taxes to the state.

“Before the elections, I said there would be a time after for these matters to be dealt with. That time is now,” Dr. Jagdeo declared, adding: “I expect that a full-fledged investigation will be launched into those from the Gold Board and others who may have assisted the Mohameds in evading these huge sums.”

Dr. Jagdeo confirmed that the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has already assessed the Mohameds’ tax liability—complete with penalties—amounting to billions of dollars. He praised the GRA for taking decisive action, describing the assessment as a “professional and independent exercise” and challenging critics to stand by the country’s tax authorities.

“People like to talk about the rule of law—well, let’s see if they’ll support the GRA now,” he said. “This is not politics; this is taxes. The GRA acted within its professional mandate.”

The General Secretary recalled warning during the campaign that the scale of the Mohameds’ alleged financial misconduct would eventually come to light. “I told you on the campaign trail that the sums would be massive once penalties are calculated. Now the figures are there,” Dr. Jagdeo noted. He hinted that investigations could extend beyond the tax assessment to cover other periods when large quantities of gold were allegedly smuggled out of Guyana.

U.S. Indictment and Local Accountability

Dr. Jagdeo also addressed the U.S. sanctions against the Mohameds for wire fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion.

Rejecting the notion that the case was politically driven, Dr. Jagdeo stated emphatically that the PPP/C Government had no role in the U.S. investigation. “These are federal crimes in the United States. To say the PPP caused their indictment is nonsensical. U.S. prosecutors act on evidence, not politics,” he said.

He revealed that the U.S. indictment references fraudulent invoices and false declarations used to disguise gold shipments—echoing long-held suspicions of systematic tax evasion through falsified exports.

“In the court here, we saw a manager’s cheque from a U.S. bank showing payments for goods that were grossly undervalued. For instance, they declared imports worth just $5,000 but paid $680,000 for a Lamborghini. Let’s see what excuse they’ll give when that evidence is presented before a judge,” Dr. Jagdeo said.

Political and Religious Manipulation

Dr. Jagdeo further accused the Mohameds of attempting to manipulate religious sentiment and incite public unrest in response to their legal troubles. “Suddenly, because of their indictment, they are appealing for solidarity from the Muslim community,” he said. “When they were spreading vile lies about President Ali and other imams, they didn’t remember that they were Muslims. Now, facing prosecution, they want to hide behind religion.”

He singled out Azruddin Mohamed for quoting religious scriptures on social media to portray himself as a victim, and Hanna Mohamed, who he said made irresponsible public statements calling for youth-led revolution similar to protests in France and Nepal.

“She’s talking about revolution against corruption while defending one of the biggest financial crime syndicates we’ve seen in years,” Dr. Jagdeo said. “They are in full panic mode, and people can see it.”

Extradition and the Role of the Judiciary

On the question of possible extradition proceedings, Dr. Jagdeo affirmed that the Government of Guyana would act in accordance with established legal procedures if the United States makes such a request. “There is one procedure in our law for handling extradition requests,” he explained. “It doesn’t say ‘one for the Mohameds and another for everyone else.’ We will follow the law.”

Dr. Jagdeo said the administration expects due process but warned against any attempts to delay or derail proceedings. “We’ve extradited people before, and the courts have acted swiftly. Let’s see if having money makes a difference this time,” he added. “We’ll be watching carefully—not just us, but the international community.”

He also urged the Guyana Police Force to act if any statements or activities by the Mohameds or their associates are deemed seditious or intended to incite public disorder, emphasizing that the government will treat such matters seriously.

Summing up, Dr. Jagdeo said the Mohameds’ case has exposed a web of corruption that must be rooted out from both the private and public sectors. “The Mohameds thought that if they won elections, they’d get immunity. They poured money into politics believing that would protect them,” Dr. Jagdeo stated. “But they can’t run from accountability. The time for excuses is over.”

He reaffirmed the PPP/C Government’s position that no one—regardless of wealth, religion, or influence—is above the law. “This is not about victimization or politics,” Dr. Jagdeo concluded, noting that “It’s about justice. Those who stole from the people of this country will face the consequences.”