The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) has temporarily shuttered San Massage Spa, a business located on the north side of San Antonio, amidst allegations of human trafficking. As reported by KENS5, the emergency closure order, which is set to last for six months, went into effect on July 22 following a June inspection that uncovered several troubling signs within the establishment.
TDLR inspectors noted employees in provocative attire and found an ostensibly out-of-place container with used and open condoms in the public area. The facility also clearly lacked necessary client consultation documents and appeared to double as living quarters for staff. "There were conditions that you don’t normally see when you get to get just a massage like the manner of dress and the fact that it looked like they lived there," Dottie Laster, experienced human trafficking advocate, told KENS5.
Prior warnings were issued to the business after a previous inspection in 2023, but the establishment seemingly continued to operate in defiance of regulatory standards. Confirming the closure, a MySA article noted that the June inspection also revealed the business's involvement in explicit sexual advertising online, with additional damning evidence of illicit activities.
Laster urged local communities to stay vigilant and to proactively share information with authorities, sensitively highlighting the need for collective action. "Behind closed doors, that’s where commercial sex happens. We’re not going to see that. We’re just going to give authorities enough to look further and ask questions. The community that lives there every day, that works there next door. They can gather valuable information carefully without putting themselves at risk and forward it and I urge you to do so because the beautiful thing is, you can really free someone and save lives," Laster conveyed in an interview with KENS5.
Concerned individuals who suspect instances of human trafficking can contact the National Hotline for Human Trafficking at 1-888-373-7888 or send a text to BeFree (233733) with the words HELP or INFO. Additionally, complaints against TDLR-regulated businesses suspected of participating in human trafficking can be filed. Yanqun Cai, the current owner of San Massage Spa, was listed as a massage therapist during the 2023 inspection, but no further details on their involvement or the ongoing investigation have been disclosed.
