MESA — Mesa’s crackdown on massage parlors has resulted in 20 arrests for prostitution.
Since September, a task force of six police detectives has made 127 inspections and discovered 43 establishments violated state or local laws.
The violations include massage parlors operating with unlicensed therapists, and failing to notify the city of a change of business name.
Mesa police Lt. Lee White said the recently completed inspections included 78 citations against 63 people, mostly the managers and operators of the massage parlors who are not following city or state laws.
The arrests come as Mesa drafts a stricter policy on massage parlors operating in the city.
Mesa police say tighter regulations of massage parlors will make it easier for police to figure out which businesses offer legitimate therapeutic massage.
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