ROY, Utah — Four massage parlors in northern Utah were raided by police Thursday morning as part of an ongoing investigation into human trafficking, prostitution, and related crimes, according to the Roy Police Department.
At approximately 10 a.m. on January 9, officers executed the search warrants at the businesses, gathering information related to possible human trafficking, prostitution, fraud, and money laundering. The investigation is part of a larger effort that Roy detectives have been working on for several months.
Sgt. Josh Taylor, public information officer for the Roy Police Department, confirmed that officers thoroughly searched the properties and conducted interviews with employees, including massage therapists. At this stage, no arrests have been made, and law enforcement officials believe that many of the employees may be victims in the case.
“The employees, including the massage therapists, are believed to be victims of human trafficking,” Sgt. Taylor said in a statement.
The investigation was prompted by multiple complaints from members of the community, including reports from customers who allegedly witnessed inappropriate activities while visiting the parlors. One resident reported seeing people arriving and leaving the businesses during unusual hours, outside of regular operating times.
Detectives are continuing to process the information collected from the raids, with plans to expand their investigation further.
“At this time, the investigation is ongoing, and we are carefully reviewing all the evidence gathered during the raids,” Taylor added.
Roy Police have not released further details at this time, but authorities are urging anyone with additional information to come forward.