Tempe bar raid nets 249 underage-drinking arrests
Tempe Police and the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control conducted a joint liquor-law compliance sweep at Tempe Tavern on Nov. 20, 2025, arresting 249 people tied to underage drinking, many using fake IDs. Officials said 246 were cited and released, with the rest booked into the Tempe City Jail; ADLLC is weighing sanctions, including possible license suspension, after a similar April sweep at the same bar led to 167 arrests.
📌 Key Facts
- 249 arrests in a Nov. 20 raid at Tempe Tavern; 246 cited and released, others booked
- Operation led by Tempe PD and Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control; HSI agents were present on scene
- ADLLC says sanctions (including potential license suspension/fines) will be decided after Tempe PD finishes its investigation
- This is the bar’s second major sweep in 2025; April operation resulted in 167 arrests
📊 Relevant Data
Approximately 16.29% of Arizona youth aged 12-20 reported alcohol use in the past month.
Arizona Alcohol Use Statistics 2023-2025 | DUI, Youth & AUD Trends — Nirvana Recovery
About 4,000 young people under 21 die from excessive alcohol use each year in the United States.
Underage drinking contributes to more than 3,500 deaths among people under 21 annually in the U.S., including about 190,000 emergency department visits.
Underage Drinking (Excessive Alcohol Use) — Medical College of Wisconsin
33.5% of surveyed college students admitted to possessing a fake ID.
Black, Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Native persons are more likely to be incarcerated compared with White persons for drug- and alcohol-related offenses.
Racial/Ethnic Differences in Drug- and Alcohol-Related Arrest Outcomes Across 56 U.S. Counties in 2013 — American Journal of Public Health
Racial disparities in alcohol-related arrests may be correlated with socioeconomic factors, such as differences in access to legal resources or policing practices in certain communities.
Racial/Ethnic Differences in Drug- and Alcohol-Related Arrest Outcomes Across 56 U.S. Counties in 2013 — American Journal of Public Health
Over 60% of forged IDs not only appear legitimate on the front but also have barcodes encoded with matching information, making them harder to detect.
How to Spot a Fake ID — Webstaurant Store
Security professionals often fail to detect low-prevalence fake IDs due to the low prevalence effect, where rare occurrences are harder to spot.
Security professionals fail to detect low prevalence fake IDs — Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications
According to the 2022 Arizona Youth Survey, alcohol is the most consumed substance among Tempe's youth, with 27.7% receiving offers in the past month and 15.2% using it.
1.21 Youth Drug Use and Misuse | Data Catalog — City of Tempe
HSI agents may be involved in underage drinking operations due to investigations into fake IDs and related document fraud or identity theft.
249 arrested in underage drinking sweep at Tempe Tavern in Arizona — Fox News