Texas officials order closure of San Antonio massage parlor over human-trafficking concerns

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has ordered a six-month shutdown for a San Antonio massage business suspected human trafficking, officials with the state agency said Thursday.

During an inspection last month of San Massage Spa in Castle Hills, TDLR inspectors found "numerous indicators" that human trafficking could be happening at the site, authorities said. According to TDLR, those included:

• Employees wearing provocative clothing.
  
• Lingerie items found onsite.
  
• An empty container in the kitchen containing used and open condoms.
  
• No client consultation documents, which are legally required before providing massage therapy.
  
• Items suggesting people had been living at the business' address.
  

What's more, inspectors learned that San Massage Spa was "associated with illicit sexual advertising on the internet," TDLR officials said.

The closure order comes after TDLR gave San Massage Spa a warning last year over violations including having no consultation forms or business records, employing unlicensed massage therapists and evidence of people residing at the business, according to department officials.

Under a state law adopted last year, TDLR's executive director can issue an emergency order closing down any massage business if authorities have reason to believe human trafficking is occurring there. Officials said this is the third such emergency order TDLR has issued since the law went into effect.

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