Sheriff Joe Arpaio Arrests Five at Phoenix GNC Warehouse

PHOENIXMaricopa Country Sheriff's deputies raided a General Nutrition Centers (GNC) warehouse Thursday morning, arresting five people. They were arrested on suspicion of using false identification and being in the country illegally, according to AZCentral.com.

Last year, the sheriff's office received a tip from an employee who claimed some workers were using false identities. In this particular raid at the Phoenix distribution center, five employees were found using fake identification, including two who used the social security numbers of deceased people.

GNC said the company is fully cooperating with the investigation, and has begun its own internal investigation into the situation. "It is a consistent corporate policy to follow all relevant state and local employment regulations, including e-verify employment verification procedures," GNC said in a released comment. "We have been informed by a senior investigator that GNC is not the focus of the investigation."

In March, Dateline NBC aired a feature investigating supplement quality and dry labbing. The show discussed Total Body Formula, a weight-loss product linked to rapid hair loss, joint pain, kidney failure and heart problems, sold by GNC, Dateline said. After the illnesses, GNC removed the product from its stores.