ROSWELL, Ga. — The Roswell Police Department has shut down nine more massage parlors, bringing the total to 16 for the year.
Roswell’s mayor and city council updated the city’s ordinances and codes this year to crack down on massage parlors operating illegally. They’re required to have a massage establishment license and a business license.
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“Licensing is a foundational means of establishing legitimacy in a business and is a requirement of the law,” said Officer Tim Lupo with the Roswell Police Department told Channel 2′s Bryan Mims.
On Monday, the following businesses were found not operating with the correct licenses and shut down:
- Care Therapeutic Health Services LLC, 282 Rucker Rd., Suite 90
- Ease Massage, 1085 Holcomb Bridge Rd., Suite 140
- Lilly Massage, 10479 Alpharetta Hwy., Suite 8
- M Massage, 900 Mansell Rd., Suite 16
- Woori Massage, 1072 Alpharetta St.
- Yun Massage, 11230 Alpharetta Hwy., Suite 112
- Spa Amore, 11285 Elkins Rd., Suite J2
- Heavenly Foot Massage, 11680 Alpharetta Hwy., Suite 200
- Amethyst Enterprises, 770 Old Roswell Rd., Suite H500
Fifteen more businesses were inspected for compliance and six were cited for violations.
The enforcement action comes after a year-long investigation into a human trafficking network and prostitution operation. In September, police raided four massage parlors in Roswell and rescued nearly two dozen young women believed to be victims of human trafficking.
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Officer Lupo said ensuring these businesses have licenses is one step in combatting illicit activity.
“This is a very holistic effort to address these types of businesses,” he said. “Make sure those that are operating in the city are legitimate and good businesses, and that is what our longstanding effort is towards.”
Roswell City Councilman Will Morthland said he hopes Roswell’s actions send a clear message to anyone who would engage in sex trafficking.
“It is my hope that the message is resonating with the spa establishments,” Morthland said. “The City of Roswell and the police department are not after legitimate businesses, we’re after the illegitimate businesses.”
Police say they will continue to do regular compliance checks of massage parlors. They urge businesses operating without licenses to apply for them with the city immediately.
“Since taking office in 2022, the City Council and I made it our top priority to eradicate illicit activities in massage parlors and put an end to human trafficking in the City of Roswell,” said Roswell Mayor Kurt Wilson. “The safety and protection of our residents is a solemn duty. To me, there is no more important compact for a City with its residents than the compact of public safety and protecting those who cannot defend themselves.”
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