Jack_Maehoffer
10-24-2005, 09:53 PM
Raj Chohan
(CBS4) DENVER Police recently busted a string of massage parlors officers said were fronts for prostitution. The six month investigation led to dozens of arrests. Investigators said 16 illegal massage parlors have been shut down.
Police said in many cases, the women came from Asian countries. They were smuggled into the United States and were forced into prostitution at places like the Ivy Spa on S. Holly in Denver.
Detectives said Denver is often a stop between the East and West coasts. Women stop in Colorado to make money before moving on to other cities.
Denver police released a videotape showing some of their recent raids on the suspected massage parlors, including the one at Ivy Spa.
"We're here because we suspect prostitution here," one officer said on the tape during a bust at Ivy Spa.
Officers found condoms, sexual lubricants and sex toys in the spay. Police also found lots of cash.
"This is an organized crime we're dealing with," Denver Police Chief Gerry Whitman said. "It's throughout the country and it's a global issue."
Investigators said some of the woman arrested had California ID's, but their true homes are overseas.
Police suspect a global ring. Smugglers allegedly bring women to the U.S. and force them into prostitution to pay off their debt to the brokers who brought them to U.S.
"We've gotten some information about how the operation generally works and how they're brought into the country, how they're smuggled into the country," Sgt. Mark Fleecs with Denver police said.
The woman arrested refused to tell officers about the details of the alleged prostitution ring.
Police have shut down 16 of the 18 parlors they've investigated. Investigators said they suspect at least 40 parlors and spas in Denver are running illegal prostitution businesses.
It is also a problem in other Colorado cities. Last week, CBS4 reported on the police bust at a spa in Greenwood Village.
(CBS4) DENVER Police recently busted a string of massage parlors officers said were fronts for prostitution. The six month investigation led to dozens of arrests. Investigators said 16 illegal massage parlors have been shut down.
Police said in many cases, the women came from Asian countries. They were smuggled into the United States and were forced into prostitution at places like the Ivy Spa on S. Holly in Denver.
Detectives said Denver is often a stop between the East and West coasts. Women stop in Colorado to make money before moving on to other cities.
Denver police released a videotape showing some of their recent raids on the suspected massage parlors, including the one at Ivy Spa.
"We're here because we suspect prostitution here," one officer said on the tape during a bust at Ivy Spa.
Officers found condoms, sexual lubricants and sex toys in the spay. Police also found lots of cash.
"This is an organized crime we're dealing with," Denver Police Chief Gerry Whitman said. "It's throughout the country and it's a global issue."
Investigators said some of the woman arrested had California ID's, but their true homes are overseas.
Police suspect a global ring. Smugglers allegedly bring women to the U.S. and force them into prostitution to pay off their debt to the brokers who brought them to U.S.
"We've gotten some information about how the operation generally works and how they're brought into the country, how they're smuggled into the country," Sgt. Mark Fleecs with Denver police said.
The woman arrested refused to tell officers about the details of the alleged prostitution ring.
Police have shut down 16 of the 18 parlors they've investigated. Investigators said they suspect at least 40 parlors and spas in Denver are running illegal prostitution businesses.
It is also a problem in other Colorado cities. Last week, CBS4 reported on the police bust at a spa in Greenwood Village.