A Winnipeg massage parlour has been raided amid allegations its owners lured women into sex work.
A man and woman are facing charges following the raid at a West End massage shop Tuesday.
Police say they started investigating the shop at 832 Notre Dame Avenue when allegations of sexual exploitation surfaced in December.
Sergeant Rick McDougall from the WPS counter-exploitation unit said four women came forward to police.
“Once they were hired then they were told they were expected to provide, first of all massages that they were not experienced or qualified to perform, and in addition to be offering sexual services, including touching of sexual areas.”
McDougall said police believe the exploitation had been happening at least since last summer and said all four women who came forward are over the age of 18.
After gathering evidence from past and current employees, investigators from the counter-exploitation unit executed a search warrant at the shop, making two arrests.
A 48-year-old man is charged with three counts of benefitting from sexual services, possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000, and four counts of procuring a person to provide sexual services.
A 41-year-old woman is charged with advertising sexual services, assault, three counts of benefitting from sexual services, possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime under $5,000, and four counts of procuring a person to provide sexual services.
Both have been released on a promise to appear.
McDougall said further arrests are possible if police are able to identify customers who obtained sexual services as they continue to go through evidence seized from the parlour.
Illegitimate massage businesses can make for unsafe conditions for real massage therapists, the executive director of a professional association said.
“Those people who might be choosing to frequent someone that is not an RMT and they know that they’re not going to get a massage therapy service, then they go to an actual RMT and think that they’re going to get that same treatment.”