Seven people in metro Atlanta have been arrested in a sweep of massage parlors.
The sting by the Georgia Secretary of State and local police agencies targeted businesses suspected of unlicensed practice and criminal behavior in Johns Creek, Doraville and DeKalb and Gwinnett counties, Secretary of State Brian Kemp said.
State and local investigators, with help from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, visited nine businesses. In addition to making the arrests, authorities issued 19 cease and desist orders for unlicensed practice of massage therapy and 18 citations for local ordinance violations.
"Unlicensed practice of massage therapy has been associated with criminal behavior that damages both the reputation of those who comply with the law and the communities in which these businesses operate,” Kemp said in a written statement. “We will continue to partner with local law enforcement agencies and ICE to locate and investigate businesses suspected of illegal activity.”
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