Frankston massage parlour the first Victoria’s first fined for COVID-19 breaches
There was no happy ending for the owner of an illegal Frankston brothel, with the venue taking the dubious honour of the state’s first sex den to be fined for breaching COVID-19 restrictions. And the southeast brothel wasn’t the only one to be caught in the act.
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A Frankston massage parlour was the first sex den in the state to be pinged for breaching coronavirus restrictions.
Victoria Police confirmed a female employee and a male customer were caught in the act of risking the spread of coronavirus on March 31, one day before a busy Geelong brothel was caught.
Both the man and woman were fined $1652 and the illegal brothel $9913 when officers observed that non-essential services were being undertaken which increased the risk of spreading the deadly COVID-19 disease.
“Sex Industry co-ordination Unit members visited a massage premises in Frankston and observed non-essential services being undertaken,” a Victoria Police spokesman said.
“Victoria Police fined a business and two individuals for failing to adhere to directives designed to slow the spread of coronavirus.”
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Operation Sentinel reaped a whopping $261,000 in revenue from 158 fines dished out to individuals and businesses not complying with social distancing directives on Easter Sunday.
There have been 20,426 spot checks conducted since March 21.
The Frankston and Geelong suburb Belmont venues are the only illegal brothels that have copped fines but police warned they would continue to crackdown on businesses that did not comply with directions given by chief health officer Brendan Murphy.
Last year more than 30 Victorian venues were proscribed as illegal brothels, with police paying visits to more than 150 visits to suspected sex dens.
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“Police will continue conduct proactive patrols throughout the community to ensure that members of the public and businesses are complying with directions given by the Chief Health Officer,” a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.
“Victoria Police is able to issue on the spot fines of up to $1,652 for individuals and up to $9,913 for businesses who fail to adhere to directives designed to slow the spread of coronavirus.”
brittany.goldsmith@news.com.au