Seven massage parlor employees arrested in Chesterfield suspected to be part of larger human trafficking ring

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A multi-agency undercover police operation led to seven arrests at massage parlors across Chesterfield County on Thursday, June 20. Law enforcement officials told 8News that this is part of a much larger scale problem — likely tracing back to a known Chinese crime ring.

Such organized crime is suspected to have indirectly lead to a total of 44 arrests at 16 different Chesterfield County massage parlors this year and is indicative of a an ongoing human trafficking problem.

Christopher Jones works at a restaurant near one of the businesses.

“We saw a couple of cops show up and about two or three people came out in towels,” Jones recalled when asked about what he saw last Thursday.

The Chesterfield County Police Department and the Virginia Capital Area Human Trafficking Task Force went undercover to arrest seven employees at five different businesses on a range of charges, including prostitution.

Jones described how his restaurant’s midday rush was interrupted by a commotion at Aura Massage, which has changed its name to Authentic Massage. This isn’t the first incident to happen at that site — Jones added that many in the shopping center know what’s going on behind closed doors and shielded windows.

“I’ve heard of what’s been going on, but they’re finally getting caught for this,” Jones said.

The youngest person arrested in this recent operation was a woman from Flushing, New York, which 8News has been told is an area that raises red flags to human trafficking investigators.

8News covered similar arrests in Chesterfield back in March and again in April. Officials told 8News that, a lot of the time, these are victims of human trafficking — people who were made promises of a better life in America. They’re taken to hotspots like New York City, then sent elsewhere and threatened into sexual labor by members of a known Chinese crime ring.

Jones is relieved police are cracking down on these cases locally.

“This is a family community,” Jones said. “So you want to make sure that everybody feels safe.”

Police told 8News that, because many of these people are victims of human trafficking, prosecutors will work with groups like Safe Harbor and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office to figure out how to handle the cases. A lot of the time, these cases are tricky, because victims won’t come forward out of fear of retribution.

Officials say if you believe something suspicious is going on at a business near you, contact your local police department. Signs that a massage parlor might be suspect is if you notice employees bringing suitcases inside, if you notice cots or mattresses coming in or out or outside near the building’s vicinity, shielded windows and a lack of displayed permits. More information can be found on Chesterfield County’s website .

You can also contact the Virginia State Police Department’s tip line by texting the number 847411 with the message “VSP” followed by your tip.

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