More than a hundred massage parlors in San Jose, several of which were found to be engaged in prostitution, are shutting down after a citywide crackdown, according to a city report.
A new report presented to the City Council on Tuesday revealed that a total of 107 massage parlors were shuttered as a result of an undercover investigation conducted by the San Jose Police Department's Vice Unit.
Ninety percent of the massage businesses that were covertly investigated (54 of 60) were confirmed to be offering prostitution services, the report said.
In addition to the undercover probes, the city reached out to landlords to warn them that their massage parlor tenants may be involved in soliciting prostitution, which prompted the shutdown of 62 of the parlors, the report said.
The number of massage parlor permit applicants spiked significantly in 2018. According to the report, there were 67 applicants this year, compared with seven last year and four in 2016.
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There are currently 19 fully permitted massage businesses in San Jose, the report said.
As a result of the crackdown, neighboring cities, which also have seen a spike in massage parlor permit applicants, are now asking SJPD for information about its approach, the report said.
