By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News |
The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has ordered that a Toyota Land Cruiser, registration number PAB 3000, previously owned by businessman Azruddin Mohamed, be delivered to the Guyana Police Force, setting the stage for a legal showdown.
In a formal directive, the tax agency stated that the vehicle was transferred in breach of the conditions under which it was originally imported and registered. The GRA further instructed that the vehicle’s bulletproof and security features be examined and removed by January 7, 2026.
According to the authority, the transfer violated restrictions associated with the vehicle’s import status. As a result, the GRA ordered that the Land Cruiser be handed over to the police pending further action.
However, attorneys representing Azruddin Mohamed have firmly rejected the agency’s position. The legal team maintains that the transfer was lawful, processed by GRA officers, and supported by a valid certificate of registration issued by the same authority.
In correspondence with the GRA, Mohamed’s lawyers have demanded that the agency identify the specific statutory provision allegedly breached and provide written reasons for its decision. The defence has indicated that failure to do so could result in judicial review proceedings challenging the directive.
The dispute has since widened, with Mohamed’s father, Nazar Mohamed, issuing a strongly worded public statement accusing state agencies of selective enforcement and abuse of power.
In that statement, Nazar Mohamed alleged that multiple bulletproof vehicles—some more than five years old and previously used to transport political figures and their families—have recently had their insurance policies abruptly cancelled. He claimed insurance companies were instructed to terminate coverage with immediate effect.
He further alleged that several vehicles, ranging from five to thirteen years old, were sold at reduced prices, complied with all regulatory requirements, and were successfully transferred, only for owners to later receive letters from the GRA cancelling newly issued registrations.
According to the statement, vehicle owners were also instructed to remove bulletproof windscreens and door glass—an order Mohamed described as impractical, since the vehicles were custom-built with those features structurally integrated.
The statement further claims that GRA employees who processed the transfers assured applicants there were no internal restrictions, but were later arrested and detained following alleged coordination between the GRA and the Guyana Police Force.
The GRA has not publicly responded to those allegations. As tensions escalate, the matter is expected to proceed to court, raising broader questions about regulatory enforcement, due process, and the treatment of specialized vehicles in Guyana.
