PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Homeland Security agents raided multiple locations of Valley-based Zipps Sports Grill as part of a criminal investigation, federal authorities said Monday afternoon.
According to a tweet by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Homeland Security is executing search warrants at 15 locations in the greater Phoenix area, which appeared to involve the popular sports grill chain.
Arizona’s Family breaking news reporter Stephanie Duprey spoke with employees at the location near Warner and Gilbert roads who said “heavily armed” agents entered the restaurant, were told to stop working, and started asking questions.
Those inside that location were asked to leave, witnesses said. Meanwhile a kitchen worker told Arizona’s Family that federal agents asked about staff about their immigration status.
It’s unclear whether any arrests were made at any location or if these search warrants were conducted with an immigration enforcement operation.
Agents with Homeland Security Investigations searched Monday 15 Zipps locations in the Phoenix area.Homeland Security searches Zipps at 32nd Street and Shea Boulevard in Phoenix.(Arizona’s Family)
“The search warrants were authorized based on information presented to a federal judge and are being executed as part of a criminal investigation into felony violations of federal law,” the feds explained in a social media statement.
At this time, federal authorities haven’t specified what those alleged violations are, but Scottsdale police described the warrants as being part of a “large-scale federal criminal investigation” that involved a local restaurant chain.
“Additional information will be forthcoming over the next few days as evidence is evaluated for charging as appropriate,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office added.
Earlier in the day, the feds said they charged 150 people in the District of Arizona for immigration-related crimes within the last week. In specific, 57 involved people were illegally re-entered the U.S. and 45 others for illegally entering the country.
The feds also recently filed 15 cases against 17 more for alleged smuggling into and within the District of Arizona, the Justice Department said a news release Monday.
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