Human Trafficking Task Force Busts Brothels Posing as Massage Parlors
Photo: 9600 block of Garvey Avenue
EL MONTE – An undercover sex sting by the L.A. Regional Human Trafficking Task Force arrested a massage parlor Madame and shut down her illicit brothels last week.
Detectives took action stemming from allegations that two San Gabriel Valley massage parlors and a residence were posing as illicit prostitution brothels. The investigation which started in July revealed that money laundering and other financial crimes may also have been taking place.
Investigators found evidence that the female owner of the parlors trafficked employees and forced them into commercial sex work.
Law enforcement served search warrants at the involved locations on October 23rd –
- 300 Block Newby Avenue, San Gabriel (Residence);
- 9600 Block Garvey Avenue;
- South El Monte (Royal Massage / Garvey Therapy);
- 2800 Block Peck Road, El Monte (Rose Spa / Beauty Laser Massage).
As a result, Investigators found “evidence consistent with commercial sex work at each location,” said LASD Lt. Kent Wegener.
Consequently, investigators arrested “Mei Xing (57) (AKA “Anna”) of San Gabriel as she left one of the locations. Then they booked her at East Los Angeles Station on charges of human trafficking.
Investigators subsequently interviewed several female potential trafficking victims, then referred to Victim Service Providers for additional services.
Their Madame, Mei Xing was released on $100,000 bail with an arraignment date of November 16, 2018 at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
The operation included task force partners from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.), the District Attorney’s Office (LADA), the California Highway Patrol (CHP), Los Angeles Unified School Police (LAUSD), State Parole, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) the Los Angeles County Probation Department, the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST), and the Department of Children and Family Services.
