Cumberland County Authorities Crack Down on Human Trafficking in Massage Parlors
Cumberland County law enforcement has made significant strides in combatting human trafficking, resulting in the arrest of nearly 20 customers linked to illegal massage parlors over the past month. According to a press release from the county district attorney’s office, the crackdown is part of ongoing operations aimed at addressing this critical issue.
The Cumberland County Human Trafficking Task Force executed a search warrant at GL Massage in Carlisle on November 6, following a tip-off, leading to a second raid at Li’s Asian Massage in the same city on November 19. Three women were arrested during these operations: Chuan Xa Wang, 65, of Newport; Dong Mei Liu, 55; and Yue Jun Zhao, 62, both of Flushing, N.Y. Wang, who registered Li’s Asian Massage in 2018, faces multiple felony charges, including running a corrupt organization and human trafficking, while Liu and Zhao are charged with misdemeanor prostitution offenses.
As part of Operation Impact Demand, 19 individuals were apprehended for promoting prostitution after allegedly paying for erotic services. District Attorney Sean McCormack emphasized the link between customer demand and human trafficking, stating that such operations aim to reduce financial support for traffickers.
Effective undercover operations, conducted alongside various law enforcement agencies, led to multiple arrests, including individuals from different regions implicated in promoting prostitution. In an earlier operation, police raided five additional parlors and charged their operator, Min Dong, with similar offenses, with those charges still pending.
McCormack highlighted the region’s vulnerability to human trafficking due to its extensive highway system and reaffirmed the county’s zero-tolerance policy towards these crimes, signaling a commitment to ongoing enforcement efforts.
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