Seven massage parlours in and around Dalton, Georgia, have been shut down after a months-long investigation into alleged prostitution and potential human trafficking, with 14 people arrested.
Investigators from the Dalton Police Department and Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office carried out search warrants on Tuesday, September 22, at businesses in Dalton and unincorporated Whitfield County, near the Tennessee state line.
The operation began after a resident complained to police about alleged prostitution at GQ Spa on Chattanooga Road. Officers said their subsequent investigation pointed to similar suspected activity at six other massage businesses.
The locations searched were GQ Spa, Supreme Spa, A Healthy Massage, Royal Spa, Purity Massage, Spring Massage and Summer Massage. Dalton police led the investigation at three businesses within the city, while the sheriff’s office handled the remaining four.
Authorities said those arrested included employees and customers. Charges included prostitution, pimping, pandering, solicitation, keeping a place of prostitution and alleged violations of massage-therapist licensing rules.
Officials said victim and witness specialists interviewed women working at the businesses to establish whether anyone had been trafficked. No sex-trafficking victims were identified at any of the seven locations, although the investigation remains ongoing.
Whitfield County Sheriff Darren Pierce said complaints from residents had helped trigger the inquiry.
“We listen to your complaints,” he said. “It may take us some time to act on those because we want to make sure that these investigations are done the right way.”
Mr Pierce said he planned to work with county commissioners on new rules governing massage and spa businesses, including requirements for opening such premises and the credentials operators must hold.
