Queensland Police target illegal brothels at Southport, Ashmore, Molendinar in Gold Coast crackdown
Police have shut down more alleged illegal brothels – including one near a burger shop and supermarket – as part of an elaborate operation targeting dodgy massage parlours.
Gold Coast
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POLICE have shut down another three alleged illegal brothels – including one near a burger shop and supermarket – as part of an elaborate operation targeting dodgy massage parlours.
Asian Star Massage in Southport and GC Star Massage in Ashmore have been declared prohibited brothels for 12 months while Blissful Body Massage at Crestwood Plaza in Molendinar has been temporarily declared a prohibited brothel.
The declarations come just days after a fourth massage parlour, Body Back and Feet Massage in Ashmore, was temporarily declared a prohibited brothel until a hearing in March next year.
Police allege in court documents that the latest raids found body fluid stains, dirty towels, booking sheets containing just names and dollar figures, and text messages between the massage parlours and clients.
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The police crackdown involved a combination of multilingual undercover officers, hours of surveillance, tip-offs from the public, conversations with clients and trawling the internet for prostitution advertisements.
Police pounced on the three massage parlours in September last year as a part of Operation Romeo Bailie which specifically targets illegal brothels.
Two massage parlours – Asian Star Massage on Scarborough St at Southport, and GC Star Massage on Dominion’s Rd at Ashmore – were declared prohibited brothels in the Southport Magistrates Court last week.
The businesses and their premises will remain declared prohibited brothels until December 12 next year.
The two massage parlours are owned by Shih-Hsuan Liu, 34, who lives in Southport and has registered both massage parlours under the name JCBD Pty Ltd.
Blissful Body Massage in Crestwood Plaza is fighting in the Southport Magistrates Court against a permanent declaration as an illegal brothel.
Magistrate Cameron McKenzie has temporarily declared Blissful Body Massage an illegal brothel until the application to make the order permanent is heard in the Southport Magistrates Court on January 10.
Blissful Body Massage is owned by Yuxia Yin, 54, who has registered the business at a home in Molendinar.
Knight Frank, the real estate agent leasing the premises to Blissful Body Massage, had warned the massage owners about their operations in an email in November, it is alleged.
The email was provided to the court.
“Another point we discussed was the allegations that have been made by customers, suggesting that your business is providing additional services that are not provided under the lease or law,” the email allegedly read.
“Please note should we receive another allegation raising concern to this matter, we will be required to contact police to investigate.”
Police also seized a phone including a number of text messages when they raided the Molendinar massage parlour.
“Ok full services quickie available,” one customer questioned, according to court documents.
The parlour allegedly replied: “We have time now, you can come over and do a good massage.”
One senior officer, working undercover, allegedly asked for “extra services” as part of an operation.
“It was negotiated that I would received a ‘hand job’ with (the masseuse) being naked however I was not to touch her,” he said.
“This extra price was $50. I gave her 2 x $20 and 1 x $10 note.”
Photos taken at GC Star Massage and Asian Star Massage taken during the police raid and provided to the court showed spartan rooms with pedestal fans, towels and a massage bed.
Forensic testing showed a number of body fluid stains on the walls and power points.
Police surveillance showed some girls working at GC Star Massage being picked up and taken to work at Asian Star Massage in Southport, it is alleged in court documents.
Advertisements for both massage parlours boast being able to experience “four hands/two girls for $150 an hour.
The court documents also included a text message sent from a phone allegedly related to both massage parlours and advertising the services of “Momo”, a 23-year-old student from Singapore.
The advertisement lists her prices as $250 an hour for an “incall” and $350 an hour for an “outcall”.
Notices about the prohibited brothel declarations have been placed on all three shops.
They will remain there until they expire.
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