San Antonio Street massage parlor shuts down for suspected human trafficking - The Daily Texan

[mnews]

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation ordered the emergency closure of a local massage parlor located two blocks off of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd effective Oct. 15 for offering illegal sexual services and suspected human trafficking, according to a press release.

The department issued a six-month closure order and license suspension to ReJuve Wellness LLC, which operates as ReJuve Massage Spa at 1704 San Antonio St., and its owner, Dongming Lu. Officials have not announced any arrests or charges resulting from the investigation. TDLR closed a second closure order to a massage establishment located farther from campus at the same time.

According to the release, investigators found unlicensed massage therapists working at the parlor, sexual services being provided and online advertisements for the location with “detailed sexual content.”

The U.S. Department of State defines human trafficking as when a person is deceived or coerced into situations reminiscent of “slavery, forced labor or involuntary servitude.”

A 2019 report by Children at Risk, a nonprofit that researches child poverty and inequality, found nearly 700 illicit massage businesses in Texas.

“We know from interviewing law enforcement around the state that massage parlors are often fronts for prostitution and sex trafficking services,” said Bruce Kellison, co-director of UT’s Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. “Massage parlors, because they involve people touching other people in a massage situation, are frequently also offering these (illegal sexual services).”

ReJuve Wellness did not respond to requests for comment.

This is the thirteenth emergency closure the Department of Licensing and Regulation has issued since House Bill 3579 took effect in September 2023. The law allows the department’s executive director to immediately shut down massage establishments suspected of human trafficking.

“The licensing authority is now able to close the business, whereas law enforcement, police, sheriffs cannot go in and shut a business down just because they find illegal activity going on there,” Kellison said.

Kellison said advocates have urged this novel approach to enforcement for a long time.

Tela Mange, the Department of Licensing and Regulation communications manager, said in an email most of the owners who receive six-month closure notices opt to permanently close and agree to permanent revocation of whatever massage licenses they still hold.

“If, at the end of the six months, the owner in this case has not taken those actions, we will move forward in the process of revoking their license(s),” Mange said in the email.

Sheridan Nolen, the Texas Department of Public Safety press secretary, said in an email the department could not respond to a request for comment since this case is still an ongoing investigation.

Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring can contact the National Hotline for Human Trafficking at 1-888-373-7888.