Several people were taken into custody as police searched the businesses on Tuesday.
BOTHELL, Wash. — Five massage parlors in downtown Bothell have been searched and shuttered by police on suspicion of prostitution, with investigators also looking into possible human trafficking connections, authorities said.
Red “Stop Work” notices were posted on the doors of each of the businesses on Tuesday, including three spotted by KING 5 Wednesday night: Oriental Lotus Spa on 101st Avenue Northeast, Caviar Spa off State Route 527, and Sunflower Spa on Northeast 183rd Street. All five establishments are within a two-block radius of the Bothell Police Department.
Bothell Police Captain Mike Johnson said the proximity of the businesses to the station was notable.
“It’s a little bit brazen to set up your illicit massage business so close to the police department,” he said.
The closure notices cited serious safety violations, including illegal wiring and makeshift sleeping quarters found inside at least one of the locations.
Johnson said the cases carry broader concerns beyond prostitution. “Oftentimes with these types of businesses you see human trafficking, and that’s also something that we’re looking into and we’re taking very seriously,” he said.
Police took several people into custody during the operation and said they are working to connect possible victims with services. Johnson said the investigation remains ongoing and complex. “We’re trying to do our part to get some charges filed with the prosecutor,” he said. Charges could be filed as early as Friday.
Kevin Coryell, co-owner of First & Main Design Market, a furniture store across the street from one of the shuttered spas, said he had noticed the concentration of massage parlors in the area but never connected them to anything suspicious. “For some odd reason, we have a lot of massage parlors and nail salons and stuff around here, and I never put one and two together,” he said.
Like Johnson, Coryell found the businesses’ location relative to the police station striking. “It’s kind of brazen — the fact that they are catty-corner to the police station,” he said. “It’s right there.”
The three businesses spotted by KING 5 were empty, and owners could not be located for comment. Investigators said it is too early to determine whether the five establishments are connected to one another.
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