Over 7,000lbs of unsafe meat seized in Maricopa County unlicensed street food vendor crackdown

The Brief

PHOENIX - Maricopa County is cracking down on unlicensed street food vendors.

By the numbers:

Officials said from May to July 2025, the county investigated 111 complaints, and around half of those complaints (55) ended with food being seized.

Per the statement, over 7,000 pounds of unsafe meat were seized.

What they're saying:

"The vendors in question are generally set up near sidewalks and in parking lots promoting the sale of ‘tacos al pastor,'" read a portion of the statement. "The ‘tacos al pastor’ meat is set up on a vertical rotisserie called a ‘trompo,’ or spinning top. The meat is shaved directly from the rotisserie into the taco. If the trompo is set up outdoors with temporary equipment (i.e., popup tent, folding tables), it is likely to be unpermitted and may ha