- Sep 20, 2009
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So I'm sitting in front of the computer browsing the Internet, when my eyes suddenly wander towards a newspaper lying on the floor and an article on massage parlours in today's Mississauga News. For those interested, read on.
Peel Regional Police and municipal inspectors have declared war on Mississauga's massage parlours as a response to repeated allegations they are simply fronts for prostitution rings.
Police say the complaints, many of which come from angry Mississauga wives and mothers, also include allegations that underaged girls and illegal immigrants are working in massage parlours.
Officers from the force's Vice unit have combined forces with by-law inspectors to shut down 35 massage parlours in Mississauga since 2003, City records show.
But, according to Jamie Hinton, one of Mississauga's managers of compliance and licensing enforcement, police or the City will shut down an owner only to see him re-open for business under a different name.
"It's an ongoing battle that we are trying to fight in partnership with the police," said Hinton. "There are specific areas and by-laws that don't allow some of these parlours to operate, but they're setting up shop anyway."
At least five parlours in Mississauga have been slapped with either by-law or prostitution charges this year. Meanwhile, police and the City are investigating at least four others, with charges pending.
Following a recent undercover sting operation, police charged the owners of Rose's Prestigious Health Studio on Argentia Rd., and Destiny's Spa on Rutherford Rd., with operating a common bawdy house and living off the avails of prostitution.
"Some of the things going on in (massage parlours) are offensive, and we're constantly having to monitor them because they do have a tendency for acts of a sexual nature," said Peel Det. Randy Cowan, head of the Vice Unit. "We're taking a zero tolerance approach to it, and our hope is that (the owners of these establishments) will move out of the region once they're caught."
Cowan said police have also responded to spas to find girls as young as 16 working as attendants, as well as illegal immigrants.
Police regularly receive complaints from wives and mothers who are upset because their husbands or sons are receiving sexual favours inside these establishments, he added.
Police say the nature of the complaints range from blatant sexual activity between staff to customers upset about inflated prices -- often close to $200 an hour -- that the parlours charge patrons.
Currently, only 11 massage parlours are licensed to operate in Mississauga. Hinton said the rest, at least four others, are operating illegally.
This year, three parlours -- Saka Spa, The Massage Centre and Anna's Health Care -- have been charged with operating without a licence, while the Blue Lagoon Spa was charged in March with employing an unlicensed attendant who was in Canada illegally.
Article Link :http://www.mississauga.com/mi/peelpolice/story/2795981p-3236988c.html
Peel Regional Police and municipal inspectors have declared war on Mississauga's massage parlours as a response to repeated allegations they are simply fronts for prostitution rings.
Police say the complaints, many of which come from angry Mississauga wives and mothers, also include allegations that underaged girls and illegal immigrants are working in massage parlours.
Officers from the force's Vice unit have combined forces with by-law inspectors to shut down 35 massage parlours in Mississauga since 2003, City records show.
But, according to Jamie Hinton, one of Mississauga's managers of compliance and licensing enforcement, police or the City will shut down an owner only to see him re-open for business under a different name.
"It's an ongoing battle that we are trying to fight in partnership with the police," said Hinton. "There are specific areas and by-laws that don't allow some of these parlours to operate, but they're setting up shop anyway."
At least five parlours in Mississauga have been slapped with either by-law or prostitution charges this year. Meanwhile, police and the City are investigating at least four others, with charges pending.
Following a recent undercover sting operation, police charged the owners of Rose's Prestigious Health Studio on Argentia Rd., and Destiny's Spa on Rutherford Rd., with operating a common bawdy house and living off the avails of prostitution.
"Some of the things going on in (massage parlours) are offensive, and we're constantly having to monitor them because they do have a tendency for acts of a sexual nature," said Peel Det. Randy Cowan, head of the Vice Unit. "We're taking a zero tolerance approach to it, and our hope is that (the owners of these establishments) will move out of the region once they're caught."
Cowan said police have also responded to spas to find girls as young as 16 working as attendants, as well as illegal immigrants.
Police regularly receive complaints from wives and mothers who are upset because their husbands or sons are receiving sexual favours inside these establishments, he added.
Police say the nature of the complaints range from blatant sexual activity between staff to customers upset about inflated prices -- often close to $200 an hour -- that the parlours charge patrons.
Currently, only 11 massage parlours are licensed to operate in Mississauga. Hinton said the rest, at least four others, are operating illegally.
This year, three parlours -- Saka Spa, The Massage Centre and Anna's Health Care -- have been charged with operating without a licence, while the Blue Lagoon Spa was charged in March with employing an unlicensed attendant who was in Canada illegally.
Article Link :http://www.mississauga.com/mi/peelpolice/story/2795981p-3236988c.html