Nilton Asmar, 30, of Sterling Heights

(Free Press) Detroit - Federal government announced the arrests of 13 Chaldeans (10 from Detroit and 3 from San Diego) who were wanted in an international car-theft scheme on Wednesday. The group would rent vehicles from the US and take them to Canada, where they were shipped to Iraq for sale.

But authorities were watching and had been for two years in an investigation.

For nearly two years, the federal government was monitoring the Detroit-based crime ring accused of renting cars locally, driving them to Canada, reporting them stolen and shipping them to Iraq.

According to a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday, the international rental car scam involved luxury sedans and SUVs valued anywhere from $25,000 to more than $60,000. The defendants legitimately rented the vehicles -- including Dodge Journeys, Toyota Avalons, a Chevy Tahoe and an Infiniti -- from national rental agencies in Sterling Heights, Warren, Romulus, Ohio and California, the indictment said.

The suspects drove the vehicles to Canada and reported them stolen or carjacked in Detroit, when in fact the vehicles were headed to Iraq, the indictment said. In five cases, the vehicles turned up on shipping containers at the Port of Montreal, headed for Iraq via Turkey, the indictment said.

Some vehicles made it to Iraq, but authorities did not disclose how many. They also didn't say how many vehicles were involved or the estimated losses.

"Criminal groups often believe they are employing ingenious techniques to further their illicit activity," said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.

But, Moskowitz noted, the suspects left behind a "lengthy paper trail" that helped investigators expose the scheme.

According to the indictment, the mastermind was Adnan Hana, 57, of Sterling Heights. Export documents accompanying the vehicles in Montreal identified the exporter as Discount Auto Sales in Detroit, which is owned by Hana, the indictment said.

Hana is free on bond and will be arraigned Tuesday. He could not be reached by the Free Press, and an attorney has not yet been assigned to his case.

The indictment spells out how the suspects carried out the alleged scheme, which ran like clockwork as agents zeroed in on exactly when the stolen vehicles crossed the border.

For example, the indictment said, Jason Hana, 27, rented a 2009 Dodge Journey from Enterprise in Sterling Heights on July 9, 2008. The next day, at 11:47 a.m., Adnan Hana drove the Journey into Canada via the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. One minute later, Jason Hana entered Canada via the tunnel in a separate car with a Michigan license plate, the indictment said. That vehicle returned to Detroit at 10:33 p.m. that day with Jason Hana and Adnan Hana inside, but the rental never returned from Canada.

Jason Hana later filed a report with Detroit police claiming the Journey was stolen at roughly 7 p.m. July 28, the indictment said.

In another incident on Nov. 28, 2008, Danieal Korkis, 46, of Sterling Heights rented a 2009 Dodge Journey from Enterprise in Warren. On Dec. 1, 2008, Korkis drove the Journey into Canada via the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, documents state. Later that night, Korkis returned to the U.S. via the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel without the Journey.

Korkis filed a report with Detroit police, claiming the Journey was stolen Dec. 1, the indictment said. Almost a year later, in November 2009, the Journey was found at the Port of Montreal in a sea container bound for Iraq through Turkey.

McQuade said the rental car scheme hurt both the rental companies and the public.

"People may say here, 'Who cares? It's the rental car company's problem.' Well, we all pay a price. It's not a victimless crime," she said. "When companies lose money that way, they've got to pass that on to the consumer."

Ian Quinn, who oversees a border security task force for ICE, Homeland Security Investigations, said his agency has investigated and busted everything from drug activity to human smuggling at the border. He called the scheme "a significant international car theft ring."

The metro Detroit suspects charged in the indictment are: Adnan Hana; Jason Hana; Heather Hana, 29; Nazar Quiryaqous, 46; Sabah Hermiz, 57, and Danieal Korkis, all of Sterling Heights. Korkis has not been arrested.

Also charged in a criminal complaint -- not the indictment -- are: Wasem Aziz, 26, of Warren;  Joey Youkhanna, 24; Nilton Asmar, 30, and Ghanim Hanna, 59, all of Sterling Heights.

The defendants face charges that include transportation of stolen property in interstate and international commerce and related conspiracy charges.

Joey Youkhanna, 24, of Sterling Heights

Nazar Quiryaqous, 46, of Sterling Heights

Jason Hana, 27, of Sterling Heights

Wasem Aziz, 26, of Warren

Heather Hana, 29, of Sterling Heights

Adnan Hana, 57, of Sterling Heights