A North Shore massage spa is dark and locked up after Topsfield police moved in with a search warrant on Wednesday, shutting the business amid a probe into alleged prostitution and human trafficking at the Boston Street storefront.
Officers delivered a cease-and-desist order at FeiFei L Spa at 461 Boston St. and said the business would be removed while detectives keep digging through what they seized. Investigators say criminal charges are on the way as they sort through evidence collected during the operation.
Police search caps months-long investigation
The raid capped a months-long investigation into reports of “engaging in sexual conduct for a fee, keeping a house of prostitution, and human trafficking,” according to a Topsfield Police Department statement reported by Boston.com. Police say that work led to the search warrant executed at the Boston Street location this week.
Owner identified as landlord moves to end lease
Local television coverage identified the spa’s owner as Chaolin Feng and reported that the property owner plans to terminate the lease, according to WCVB. Topsfield police said they called in backup for the operation from federal and regional partners, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Middleton and Ipswich police departments, and the Massachusetts State Police.
Pending charges and a broader enforcement pattern
The investigation is still active and criminal charges are expected to be filed in Ipswich District Court, according to reporting by Patch. The Topsfield shutdown follows a series of North Shore and statewide crackdowns on day spas that authorities allege were fronts for illicit activity, a pattern detailed in earlier coverage by Boston 25. Advocates and state-level reporting have also flagged what they say are oversight gaps in the regulation of massage businesses in Massachusetts that can make it harder for law enforcement to spot and stop abuse, according to Boston Magazine.
What police are asking for now
Topsfield police are asking anyone with information tied to the spa or the investigation to contact the department, according to a statement reported by Boston.com. For now, the storefront remains shuttered while prosecutors review the case and decide which charges to bring.
