Latest Restaurant Raid Investigates Unpaid Sales Taxes

Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 7:27 AM

By Mike Perleberg (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - Police raided a Lawrenceburg restaurant Wednesday as part of an investigation into unpaid sales tax. Officers with Indiana State Excise Police, Lawrenceburg Police, Dearborn County Sheriff’s Department, Dearborn County Special Crimes Unit, and Rising Sun Police served a search warrant at the Happy Dragon Restaurant on Tanners Creek Drive. Warrants were also served at other locations, according to the Dearborn-Ohio County Prosecutor’s Office. The scene was part of an investigation into possible unpaid sales tax by the restaurant. The Indiana Department of Revenue is also involved in the investigation. “No criminal charges have been filed, but the investigation is ongoing,” a news release from prosecutor Lynn Deddens' office stated. Happy Dragon is just the latest ethnic food restaurant in Dearborn County to be investigated for sidestepping the state sales tax. In 2015, New China Buffet in Lawrenceburg was raided when police uncovered tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid sales tax. The restaurant has since closed. Several Mexican restaurants in Lawrenceburg, Aurora, and elsewhere were raided in 2012 with nearly 40 people arrested and $2.3 million seized by law enforcement. Many of those establishments are still in operation today. RELATED STORIES: Racketeering Allegations Behind October Raid On Chinese Restaurant Cash Sales Not Reported At Mexican Restaurants