Four victims of human trafficking were rescued from two massage parlors in southern Indiana, according to a Jeffersonville Police Department press release.
They say community information helped launch an investigation and identify suspicious activities at Eva Massage on the 1000 block of East 10th Street.
On Monday at 10 a.m., officers from numerous southern Indiana police departments executed search warrants at the addresses.
Four people were rescued from two businesses: Eva Massage in Jeffersonville and Island Breeze Therapy Massage in New Albany.
The victims received medical care and support assistance.
“These are some of the most vulnerable people who are victimized in human trafficking cases because they come here, often on work visas, looking for work,” said Samuel Moss, head of detectives at the Jeffersonville Police Department. “These types of occurrences occur in plain sight, which is what makes them so challenging. And in many cases, the victims are unaware that they are being victimized.
Investigators were able to confirm that they were victims of both labor and sex trafficking.
Xing Song, 62, was detained and charged with felony promoting human sexual trafficking, prostitution, and improper business influence.
Moss claimed Song had already been charged with advertising prostitution outside of Clark County.
“A prostitution charge isn’t going to shut these places down,” he told me. “They can immediately turn around, change the name of the business, or not change the name at all, and reopen the next day.” So receiving charges of this size is a major win for both us and the community.”
If you have any information about this crime, please contact the Jeffersonville Police Department Detective Division at 812-285-6535 or the Dispatch Center at 812-283-6633.
