Miami Beach detectives shut down four massage parlors following a seven-month investigation into human trafficking after two women from China were allegedly forced to provide sex for money.
The four businesses that were shut down are Jee Jee Spa off 5th Avenue in South Beach, LuLu on 7441 Collins Avenue, Shanghai on 1106 Normandy Drive and Jade on 1020 71st Street.
According to CBS Miami, the investigation began when area residents complained about what they believed was going on in the so-called massage parlors.
The sting operation led to the arrest of Mi Cha Jones, 62, on two counts of human trafficking and one count of making money through prostitution; Liufang Wang, 38, was charged with prostitution and profiting off prostitution; and Qun Chen 48, was charged with prostitution.
Authorities said they visited the businesses at least a dozen times between February and May, and were offered various sex acts several times. The Miami Herald reports officers were offered “happy endings” and other sex acts for between $40 and $400.
The women who performed the acts were allegedly paid a small percentage of each act. Yet, they were charged $30 a day for room and board at the massage parlors.
When officers raided the locations on Friday, they found mattresses in rooms and refrigerators filled with frozen foods, reported the Herald.
“There were three arrests in four places. But more importantly, we identified two victims of human trafficking,” Miami Beach police spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez told the Miami Herald. “This is a tremendous success.”
