“Arizona sushi chain operators accused of stash houses, trafficking workers”

The owner and two managers of an Arizona sushi chain have been arrested on federal charges of harboring illegal immigrants and operating what investigators describe as a human trafficking operation across the East Valley.

Court documents alleged Yung Lau, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from China, along with two managers, including his brother, kept dozens of undocumented immigrants in four “stash houses” and forced them to work at restaurants seven days a week with no days off. The restaurants involved were Sakura Sushi in Gilbert, Mesa and Phoenix and Akita Sushi in Scottsdale.

Federal agents raided the four restaurants and four houses last week, ending an operation that neighbors said was reported to local police as early as 2023.

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement began investigating in March, according to court documents. Undercover agents at the Phoenix restaurant noticed “Chinese employees directed tasks and work of the employees of Hispanic ethnicity,” and the Hispanic employees had “limited interactions” with customers…

Arizona’s Family Investigates has reached out to attorneys for Qin Liu and Zhen Liu for comment…