3 America's Taco Shops Raided by MCSO Deputies; 11 Arrested

Thursday, the Valley-based restaurant chain calling itself "the home of the best carne asada" became the latest target of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. See also: - America's Taco Shop Goes National: New Restaurants Will Feature Updated, Fast-Casual Look The Republic reports that three locations of America's Taco Shop, the...

By Laura Hahnefeld

March 15, 2013

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Thursday, the Valley-based restaurant chain calling itself "the home of the best carne asada" became the latest target of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

The Republic reports that three locations of America's Taco Shop, the counter-service Mexican eatery founded in 2008 by America Corrales and husband Terry Bortin, were raided by Maricopa County sheriff's deputies, who arrested 11 workers on suspicion of using false identities to get jobs.

Deputies targeted two America's Taco Shop locations in Phoenix (one at the original Seventh Street location north of McDowell) and one in Tempe, the Republic reports, with four of the 11 people arrested facing felony charges related to identity theft and the remaining seven turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Phoenix for border violation issues.

America's Taco Shop has six locations in the Valley, was named one of 50 "Breakout Brands" for 2013 by Nation's Restaurant News, and has recently started to expand nationwide with a franchised unit opening last November in Bethesda, Maryland.

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