Illegal brothels: Tackling the scourge of Melbourne’s dodgiest massage parlours in the east
Whether it was a staffer’s skimpy outfit or a conga line of male customers, these illegal sex dens — which sprung up from Malvern to Mooroolbark — eventually caught the eye of police for one reason or another.
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A Leader Community News investigation last week revealed illegal brothels were flouting coronavirus lockdown restrictions and offering sexual services risking the spread of the deadly disease.
In a hard snub to authorities, massage parlours across Melbourne were even taking to websites like Locanto to advertise “additional services”.
But the problem is nothing new in the eastern suburbs, where police, councils and community groups have been fighting the scourge of illicit sex dens for years.
Here are the illegal brothels that have aroused suspicion and anger — and made headlines — in recent years.
COPS RUB OUT BLACKBURN BROTHEL
Neighbouring traders long-held suspicions were confirmed when a Blackburn massage parlour was rubbed out by police.
Body Health Treatment was slapped with a proscribed brothel notice after an investigation by Victoria Police’s sex industry co-ordination unit last August.
From the outside the Station Pde premises — which were open for business until 8.30pm every night — might have looked legitimate but surrounding business owners weren’t surprised when it was shut down.
One trader said she had wondered why “only men” in their 30s and 40s seemed to ever go into the shop.
The premises was declared to be a proscribed brothel for 12 months from March 26 last year.
HANDS ON APPROACH AT MALVERN BORDELLO
A Malvern bordello was hit with a proscribed brothel notice after two clients made “full admissions” to police outside the parlour.
The officers were on a stake-out outside Healing Hands Massage in Station St in January, 2019, when they questioned two men who confessed to receiving “full services” inside.
The two men then made statements to the police from the sex industry co-ordination unit.
An application for the proscribed brothel notice was then made at Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court.
Internet searches also found the venue was being promoted on escort websites with provocative advertising as a way to lure in men looking for sex services.
ADULT INDUSTRY SUSPECTS UP TO 30 PREMISES ARE BROTHELS
The illegal sex scourge isn’t confined to the inner city — it’s rife in the hills, too.
When a spokesman for the Australian Adult Entertainment Industry Association contacted the Maroondah Leader in December 2018 he had a blacklist of almost 30 businesses the association suspected were offering illegal services.
The 28 dodgy dens of iniquity were spread mostly across Boronia, Croydon, Bayswater, Mooroolbark and Ringwood, with isolated problems in Croydon North, Croydon South and Ringwood East.
Association spokesman William Albon said the figures did not surprise him.
“Someone has got to have the police understand the magnitude of the problem,” he said.
Ringwood police Senior Sergeant Colin Andrews and Croydon police Senior Sergeant Paul Frawley both said they were unaware of any parlours under investigation in their service areas.
CLIENTS STILL ATTEMPTING TO VISIT POPULAR SEX DEN
One Surrey Hills sex den was so popular that johns were turning up for a massage and leaving unrelieved and disappointed when they realised the illegal brothel had been shut down.
Bamboo Massage owners removed signage and shut up shop after police declared it a proscribed brothel in November, 2018.
But when the Whitehorse Leader visited the Canterbury Rd site almost a month later four men were seen on the Canterbury Rd property.
A neighbouring business owner said it was not uncommon to see men seeking the parlour’s services in the early afternoon.
Sergeant Cameron Scott said police investigated the business in October after receiving complaints from the community and finding sexual advertisements online, before taking it to Ringwood Magistrates’ Court.
Sgt Scott said the business had been allowed to continue operating as a legal massage business, but the managing agent had instead decided to cease trading.
DODGY BUSINESSES BUSTED IN FAMILY AREA
A staff member entering a Glen Iris massage parlour in a skimpy outfit and dodgy internet advertisements aroused the suspicions of a neighbouring business owner to the goings on at two illegal brothels in the same street.
In an alarming development for parents the Malvern Rd sex dens flanked a business that hosted children’s art classes.
Infinity Massage and Lumo Massage were shut down and facing massive fines in early 2018.
Art Soup Melbourne owner Jasmine Tunstall said she was horrified to learn sexual services were being offered by the businesses on either side of her own.
She said she had first become suspicious after seeing an employee enter one business in a skimpy outfit.
“There was a girl in hotpants and a bikini and I thought that’s weird massage attire,” she said.
MONASH DETECTIVES SCORE DOUBLE SHOT
It was a double shot for Monash detectives when two proscribed brothels were closed down back in March, 2017.
Forever Young in Chadstone and Happy Day Spa Massage in Oakleigh were shut after an investigation by the sex industry co-ordination unit.
Surveillance was carried out on the Batesford Rd and Johnson St properties before police sought a magistrate’s order to have the shops shut.
An Ormond man, 38, faced charges of knowingly carrying on a business as an unlicensed sex work service provider, recklessly carrying on a business as an unlicensed sex work service provider and possessing proceeds of crime following the investigation.