MCSO investigating warehouse for illegal workers

by Lesley Marin and Jane Lednovich - Aug. 9, 2012 08:22 AM
The Arizona Republic-12 News Breaking News Team

Maricopa Country Sheriff's deputies arrested five people on suspicion of false identification after executing a search warrant at a vitamin distribution warehouse in West Phoenix Thursday morning.

Nearly 30 deputies raided the General Nutrition Centers warehouse, at 1002 South 63rd Avenue around 7:30 a.m. where they found five people with false identification, two which belonged to people that had been deceased, said Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

According to Arpaio, the sheriff's office received a tip last year from a person familiar with the business that believed 21 people were working at the center with fake ids.

The sheriff's office believes there are still employees working with false identities and will continue to investigate GNC retail stores and distribution centers along the west coast, Arpaio said.

"This is strictly an ID-theft operation," Arpaio said.

GNC had no immediate comment on the investigation, but Arpaio said both the distribution center and GNC offices in Pittsburgh were cooperating with officials.

MCSO investigating warehouse for illegal workers