Executive Summary
- Federal agents arrested three operators of Sakura Sushi and Akita Sushi in Arizona.
- Suspects are accused of harboring undocumented immigrants in stash houses and enforcing 7-day work weeks.
- ICE began investigating in March following earlier neighbor reports to local police.
- Raids targeted four restaurants and four residential properties across the East Valley.
Federal authorities have arrested the owner and two managers of an Arizona sushi chain on charges of harboring undocumented immigrants and operating an alleged human trafficking scheme across the East Valley. The arrests followed raids on four restaurants and four residential properties described by investigators as “stash houses” used to confine workers.
According to federal court documents, Yung Lau, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from China, along with managers Zhen Liu and Qin Liu, are accused of housing dozens of undocumented immigrants and forcing them to work seven days a week without time off. The establishments involved in the investigation include Sakura Sushi locations in Gilbert, Mesa, and Phoenix, as well as Akita Sushi in Scottsdale.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who initiated the investigation in March, allege that the workers were transported daily between the residences and the restaurants in white vans. Undercover agents noted in the complaint that Hispanic employees at the restaurants had limited interaction with customers and appeared to be directed by Chinese employees. Neighbors had previously reported suspicious activity, including vans dropping off groups of men at night, to the Tempe and Gilbert police departments in 2023 and 2024, though local authorities reportedly stated at the time they could not establish probable cause.
Federal Investigative Scope
The intervention by Homeland Security Investigations signals a significant escalation in the enforcement of labor and immigration laws, moving beyond local police jurisdiction which often faces limitations in such cases. This operation underscores the federal focus on dismantling organized networks that exploit undocumented labor for commercial profit. As the accused await a federal court hearing scheduled for December 30, it is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
