Due to suspected sex trafficking, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation closed a massage shop on the north side of San Antonio on Thursday. On Monday, July 22, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation issued an emergency closure order that will keep San Massage Spa closed for at least six months.
During an inspection in June, TDLR inspectors found “numerous indicators” of illegal actions, as reported in a news release on July 25. In addition to staff wearing “provocative clothing,” the inspector discovered an “empty cooking oil container in the kitchen area that contained numerous used and open condoms.”
Inspectors found additional lingerie at the establishment, along with evidence of on-site living. The consultation documentation meant to be delivered to massage therapy consumers in Texas was not found, and inspectors claimed they discovered the massage firm was involved in illegal “sexual advertising on the internet.”
MySA attempted to contact San Massage Spa, located at 2595 Jackson Keller Road, for comment, but the phone was not answered, and the mailbox was not set up to accept messages. A 2023 inspection classified owner Yanqun Cai as a massage therapist and discovered several similar breaches.
The TDLR issued a warning letter following the 2023 inspection for various program violations, including a lack of consultation forms or company documents, as well as the employment of unlicensed massage therapists. There were also signs of people residing at the business, according to the TDLR announcement.
The state introduced emergency orders, like the one that closed San Massage Spa, as a relatively new practice on September 1, 2023. Texas House Bill 3579 empowers the TDLR’s executive director to shut down a massage business in the event of suspected human trafficking. The announcement states that this is the third time the TDLR has issued such an order.
If you or someone you know suspects human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733). If there is an emergency or you suspect someone is in immediate danger, contact 911 and notify authorities.
