Four massage parlors in St. George had their utilities disconnected Monday following inspections by the St. George Fire Protection District. The department said the businesses were operating in violation of the city’s massage ordinance, and some are suspected of sex trafficking.
The disconnections follow a Monday inspection of six massage parlors, which revealed violations including lack of Massage Establishment Registrations, overnight sleeping at the businesses and fire hazards.
A statement from the fire protection district said the inspections were carried out with assistance from the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and that summonses were issued for the violating businesses.
The following businesses had their utilities disconnected:
All Natural Spa, on Jefferson Highway
AA Plus Massage, on Jefferson Highway
JJ Spa, on Jefferson Highway
Yang Yang Massage Spa, on Coursey Boulevard
One business, Asian Spa on Jones Creek, shut down voluntarily after seeing the joint efforts of the fire protection district and Sheriff’s Office, a spokesperson for the district said Tuesday.
A sixth business, located on Coursey Boulevard, was issued a violation notice and was given 30 days to make corrections before their utilities would be shut off as well.
It is unclear from the release which businesses are suspected of sex trafficking.
A June raid on Baton Rouge massage parlors resulted in 11 women being detained and nine of them being handed over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for lack of citizenship.
East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore told The Advocate following those raids that it is difficult to penalize the owners of these parlors, partially because the women arrested for prostitution aren’t often interested in participating, might not speak English or face deportation.
Andrew Murrell, St. George District 5 councilman, said the inspections wouldn’t be possible without an ordinance approved in March.
“(It’s) an ordinance that allowed us more jurisdiction over illegal massage parlors, where more enforcement agencies can be involved.” Murrell said. “From building inspectors to the St. George Fire Department investigators.”
Murrell said those agencies check for legal registrations, as some businesses registered as massage parlors in other states then try to operate in Louisiana. The agencies also check for fire hazard violations, which the city can use to censure these businesses.
“Further, after you get past that, is that these massage parlors don’t look like massage parlors, I’m told,” Murrell said. “They have beds instead of massage beds. The girls are in lingerie instead of scrubs.”
Murrell said cracking down on these parlors is important as the city is a “hotbed for human trafficking” due to being along the Interstate 10/Interstate 12 corridor.