A business in the 1300 block of Meridian Avenue East in Edgewood was shut down Tuesday after authorities uncovered multiple building and fire code violations during a search tied to a weeks-long police investigation. Police had received tips suggesting the business was operating as an illicit massage parlor and spent several weeks building a case before officers served a search warrant on the property Tuesday afternoon.
According to KING 5, the Edgewood Police Department began investigating the business after receiving tips and other information about its suspected operations. Officers worked with Pierce County Sheriff's Office detectives for several weeks to gather evidence before obtaining the search warrant, and during Tuesday's search, officers seized additional evidence, according to KOMO News.
Pierce County fire marshals and Edgewood city officials assisted with the operation, and employees from Rebuilding Hope, an organization that supports survivors of sexual exploitation and trafficking, were also on hand. Fire marshals and city officials went on to identify multiple building, fire, and city code violations at the property, and authorities closed the business as a result, the station's report notes.
No Arrests Announced, Police Say
The Edgewood Police Department has not provided details about any arrests or potential charges connected to the case. Police described the business as the type often associated with prostitution and human trafficking, though that characterization does not establish that either crime occurred at this specific location, per the same account from the department.
Part of a Broader Pattern Across Washington
Edgewood's case echoes a wave of similar enforcement actions playing out across the Puget Sound region this fall. In Everett, police said they identified 44 suspected illicit massage parlors in a joint effort with the Washington state attorney general's office, as reported by The Daily Herald. As of late October, Everett inspectors had inspected 28 of those businesses, condemning eight and placing two more under review for possible further action, according to the same outlet. Officials there said the suspected businesses were often flagged through online reviews, advertisements, and community tips.
Everett's enforcement push followed a tougher ordinance the city adopted in June, which by late October had led to 19 massage businesses closing or being condemned, according to Everett Post. Marysville ran its own crackdown in September, with police identifying 23 suspected illicit massage businesses and confirming 21 of them as illicit, KOMO News reported at the time. That investigation combined undercover operations, search warrants, public-safety inspections, and a review of the city's licensing procedures.
Unincorporated Pierce County has seen even larger sweeps. Fire-prevention and code-enforcement staff there inspected 51 businesses in a single day, temporarily closing 45 of them for code violations, according to a separate KOMO News report. Across these jurisdictions, officials have leaned on code inspections and licensing reviews, rather than criminal charges alone, as a tool to shut down businesses suspected of illicit activity.
Resources for Trafficking Survivors
The Washington State Department of Commerce provides resources for human trafficking victims and survivors. Anyone seeking help can reach the National Human Trafficking Hotline by phone at 1-888-373-7888 or by texting befree to 233733.
