After sex sting, Tacoma massage parlors face business hours restriction

TACOMA - The city council is considering restricting the hours of operation for massage parlors after several people were arrested in connection to a prostitution investigation earlier this month.

Councilman Marty Campbell wants to limit the hours of businesses offering massage services. Under his proposal, they would close by 10pm and would not be allowed to reopen until 6am. Licensed medical services would be exempt.

“This is a human trafficking issue. It really is about young women being brought in from overseas and forced into a trade,” said Campbell.

Currently, Campbell says these businesses don’t have any restrictions on hours. He believes those parlors suspected of prostitution are also a nuisance to those who live in nearby neighborhoods.

“They were open throughout the night and they had a lot of men coming and going all night long,” said Campbell.

In early September, Tacoma Police served search warrants at massage parlors across the city. Officer arrested several people in connection to the sex sting.

Campbell introduced the proposal at a study session Tuesday. If it moves forward, he believes it could pass by the end of the year.