3 Arrested In Utah Massage Parlor Raids For Human Trafficking Investigation

Three more people were arrested in Utah in connection to a raid of massage parlors in Utah County, reported KSL. According to police, prostitution and human trafficking took place in the parlors.

Jing Wang, 34, and Xiaoxia Liu, 60, both from Chicago, were arrested for investigation of human trafficking, money laundering, engaging in a pattern of unlawful activity, prostitution, and tampering with a witness. Both were booked into the Utah County Jail.

A third woman was arrested on suspicion of a misdemeanor charge. Police affidavits state that police are more worried about the third woman fleeing the state or being drawn back into the human trafficking operation.

The three were found at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Saturday, where all were attempting to leave Utah.

These arrests follow a police raid of four massage parlors in Orem and American Fork on Thursday. Six people were taken into custody in those raids.

Police rescued a woman during the operation and gave her the number of the Trafficking In Persons program at Asian Association of Utah to help. Despite being directed to those resources, the woman was reached by members of the trafficking organization.

Police listened to phone calls made by those arrested to others in the organization saying that the woman was planning to go to Chicago.

"Detectives believe that the victim was contacted by members of the organization and was being forced back into trafficking," stated the affidavits.

One of the women, Liu, was arrested previously in Illinois for investigation of prostitution.

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