North Houston massage parlor closes after suspected human trafficking

According to a statement from TDLR, the agency ordered the closure on May 30, marking the first emergency closure under House Bill 3579.

TDLR inspectors found reasonable grounds that human trafficking may be active at Hsin Wei Chen and Foot Reflexology Star, 10801 Spring Cypress Road, Suite 12.

In the release, TDLR said the owner had a prior enforcement case involving similar conduct.

“TDLR employees are on the front lines of the fight against human trafficking in Texas, and we are grateful to the Texas Legislature for giving us this additional tool to help us stop human trafficking every time we we are witnessing this,” said TDLR Acting Director Brian E. Francis. The version. “For too long, human traffickers have been able to hide what they are doing in massage establishments. But now, with this law in effect, we will work with our local law enforcement partners to combat these traffickers and eradicate these destructive crimes against vulnerable people. »

The law took effect in September 2023, under the leadership of state Rep. Ben Bumgarner, R-Flower Mound, and state Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford.

The bill authorizes the Executive Director of the TDLR to order the emergency closure of any massage business if law enforcement or the TDLR suspects that human trafficking is occurring in an establishment.

“The presence of human trafficking at many massage establishments across Texas is concerning, and law enforcement has had difficulty shutting down businesses when human trafficking is suspected, because the business can simply change ownership and re-establish under new management in the same location,” Bumgarner said. in a commission report.

Under House Bill 3579, establishments ordered closed due to suspected human trafficking will not expressly create criminal offenses or increase penalties for existing criminal offenses.

“I am honored to have worked closely alongside Senator King and TDLR to get this legislation across the finish line,” Bumgarner said in the release. “Human traffickers belong behind bars and their victims deserve a chance to turn their lives around. As a husband and father, seeing this law make a difference means everything to me. I am committed to working hand in hand with TDLR and law enforcement to bring sex traffickers and human traffickers to justice.