When it comes to busting bikini baristas doing things other than serving coffee, it seems the average undercover operation time is a minimum of two months. There’s a lot of observation to be done, see? Grab ‘n’ Go, the same chain that got in trouble for barista prostitution back in 2009 is in hot water again now after another two-month undercover investigation found that three “bikini baristas” were allegedly stripping at espresso stands.

The Grab ‘n’ Go employees were arrested for violating city cabaret law in Everett, Wa., reports KOMO News, after cops had kept tabs on the coffee stands for two months.

“Citizens complained that these locations served more than just coffee,” said a lieutenant with the Criminal Intelligence Unit. He added that those months studying the situation uncovered an “exhibition and exposure which is outside the confines of the law.”

Police pored over surveillance footage showing the baristas allegedly putting on a show for customers without serving any coffee, and receiving money for doing so. It’s fine with authorities if the baristas want to wear swimsuits or what looks to be lingerie, but stripping is a no-no, even at the Grab ‘n’ Go.

“They were uncovering themselves and exposing themselves, which is completely different than the outfits they were wearing,” he said. “It’s behavior driven as opposed to what they were wearing.”

The owner of the stands said he only knows of two employees getting arrested, claiming they’re 22 and 17, and that all his workers know they’ll get fired if they violate his policies. But police list the ages of the arrested women as 29, 21 and — yikes — 16.

“I make it very clear that my business isn’t what they may suspect it to be,” the owner says.”Regardless of what they heard in the past in the media I have a zero-tolerance-policy for any of this conduct.”

‘Bikini baristas’ accused of serving more than just coffee [KOMO News]