Caln police: Prostitution houses raided, multiple arrests
CALN >> Sometimes things really aren’t always what they seem to be.
The Criminal Investigation Division of the Caln Township Police Department, in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, served search warrants this week at two local businesses suspected of prostitution.
Agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security also assisted. This culminated a 20-month investigation into three separate township businesses that were operating under the guise of legitimate spa and massage parlors.
A search warrant was served Wednesday at 777 Far East Therapy located at 2491 Lincoln Highway in Caln Township. Police said four female employees were arrested and charged with prostitution and related offenses. Law enforcement discovered conditions that subsequently resulted in the building being condemned by Code Enforcement.
A search warrant was served Friday at Apple Spa located at 3826 Lincoln Highway in Caln Township. Police said three female employees were arrested and charged with prostitution and related offenses. The building was subsequently condemned by Code Enforcement for violations discovered during the criminal search of the facility.
Police said the first business to be searched in July as a result of this intensive investigation was Ocean Spa located in the Caln Village Shopping Center at 3957 Lincoln Highway in Caln Township. Police said three female employees were arrested and charged with prostitution and related offenses. The investigation and search resulted in condemnation of that business by Code Enforcement.
These businesses either advertised on websites, or were discussed in internet chat rooms, that are associated with prostitution and human trafficking, according to police. A significant amount of evidence was discovered during the undercover investigation and search of all three businesses to substantiate illegal criminal activity and to support allegations that the businesses were operating exclusively as houses of prostitution, police added.
Chief Joseph Elias said that Caln police investigators worked together with agents from the State Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security to end criminal activity at three illicit business that appeared to operate with impunity.
“It took a concerted effort to put these prostitution houses out of business, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to deter these types of business from operating here in the future,” Elias said. “They have generated many quality of life complaints from our residents, so I’m extremely proud of our investigators and the agents who worked diligently to rid our community of all three businesses.”