‘Invisible men’ accused of billion-dollar drug import plan

A Sunshine West auto shop was allegedly intended to be the import destination for $1b of ice before police intercepted an anonymous group on the AN0M app.

A group of “invisible men” are accused of a plot to use a humble suburban auto workshop as the import destination for ice worth $1 billion.

While flashy Comanchero bikies and reality TV stars were among those arrested as part of the worldwide Ironside police operation, the men charged over what police say was a conspiracy to use International Motor Cars in Sunshine West for delivery of the drugs are an anonymous bunch.

A court was told the company’s operator, 51-year-old car buff Joe Scordo, was to be the “main door” for the 1.6 tonne cargo, to be sent from Los Angeles and India concealed in tyre rims.

But it is alleged Australian Federal Police blew the plan apart by following chatter about the plan on the encrypted AN0M app.

Little is known about the other four accused men, Mark Joannou, Danny Zayneh, Omar Dib and Robin Reffo.

They have virtually no publicly accessible social media profile and appear to have never made the media more generally.

There are indications they were also strangers to law enforcement.

“Investigators believe without Ironside insight, the syndicate ringleaders would otherwise appear invisible to law enforcement,” an AFP statement said.

Mr Scordo and International Motor Cars, previously known as Motor Cars International, has been importing cars and motorcycles from the United States for 27 years.

The company website tells potential customers of its ability to organise the entire freighting process.

International Motor Cars at 41 Enterprise Way, Sunshine West, was allegedly intended to be the destination for a $1.6 billion drug import plot. Picture: Mark Stewart

Other nearby business operators on Enterprise Way said bikies in colours from a range of clubs were regularly seen at IMC.

They believed this to be unexceptional because imported American bikes like Harley-Davidsons frequently needed compliance work to run on Australian roads and Mr Scordo was highly experienced in that field.

Mr Scordo was, according to those who had met him, a likeable man with a passion for powerful motor vehicles.

“He was a friendly bloke who’d always have a chat,” one said.

Others in the Enterprise Way industrial area were stunned when it was raided before dawn on June 8.

Their shock was amplified when they found out the police action was part of a colossal crime swoop across the globe.

It has been alleged that Mr Joannou, 41, of Sydenham, was known as “the wolf” on ANoM and had involved Mr Scordo and Mr Bezborodoff.

The AFP has alleged Mr Joannou conspired on AN0M with Mr Zayneh, the suspected syndicate ringleader.

They say Mr Zayneh bragged to Mr Joannou on the app that two imports had gone undetected by authorities in the previous six months.

“They knew nothing. And we will f---ing land three more times, bro. Watch,” Mr Zayneh is alleged to have written on April 7.

A Melbourne Magistrates’ Court hearing was last week told Mr Joannou was an “investor” and had involved Mr Scordo.

It was not the only big bust in Victoria claimed by the AFP as part of Ironside.

Intelligence from AN0M led to a raid on a major drug operation in country Victoria where an industrial-scale MDMA lab was operating.

Police said two pill presses capable of pumping out 1000 tablets a minute were found at the scene.

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