Buckeye Reporter

Law enforcement task forces in northeast Ohio, coordinated by the office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, conducted raids on four massage parlors suspected of labor and sex trafficking. The targeted businesses were Green Spa in North Olmsted, Healing Hanos and Savor Massage in Strongsville, and Relax Massage in Lorain.

Attorney General Dave Yost stated, “Massage parlors that advertise their services as therapy but, in reality, are just illicit fronts for selling sex are hotbeds of criminal activity hidden in plain view among legitimate businesses. Our task forces are cracking down on these unlawful and oppressive pursuits, reinforcing our message: Don’t buy sex in Ohio!”

The Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force and the H.E.A.L. Human Trafficking Task Force executed search warrants at the locations. During the operation, law enforcement seized documents, financial records, and cash. Individuals living and working at the businesses were present during the raids.

The investigation involved support from several agencies including the State Medical Board of Ohio, local police departments from Strongsville and North Olmsted, as well as U.S. Border Patrol.

Lorain County Sheriff Jack Hall commented on the operation: “Today’s enforcement actions weren’t about legitimate massage therapy. These were criminal enterprises exploiting women under the guise of wellness services. Our job is to protect the vulnerable and uphold the law, and that’s exactly what we did.”

Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Aaron Reese said: “The investigators of the Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force handle some of the most urgent and impactful cases – protecting our communities and preventing dangerous predators from causing harm. Today’s actions are a powerful demonstration of what can be achieved through coordinated, collaborative law enforcement efforts.”

North Olmsted Chief of Police Bob Wagner stated: “The city of North Olmsted and the North Olmsted Police Department will not tolerate the operation of these illicit businesses within our city. We appreciate the assistance and support from our local, state and federal partners.”

Strongsville Chief of Police Tom O’Deens added: “These aren’t the type of businesses we seek to attract in our community. Today’s operation marks the conclusion of the first chapter of the investigation – we will continue to actively fight against this type of blight in our city.”

The Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force is led by Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department with participation from various county sheriff's offices, police departments, advocacy organizations such as Canopy Child Advocacy Center and Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, federal agencies including U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations, among others.

The H.E.A.L. Human Trafficking Task Force is led by Lorain County Sheriff’s Office with representatives from surrounding counties’ sheriff's offices and prosecutor's offices.

Seven human trafficking task forces operate daily under Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC), covering 25 counties—serving more than half of Ohio's population.

Anyone with information about these massage parlors or suspected human trafficking can contact authorities via phone at (216) 443-6085 or use statewide reporting options provided by Attorney General Yost’s office.