Lebanon County massage spa shut down after human trafficking investigation

The Lebanon County Human Trafficking Task Force shut down MK Spa along Route 72 and arrested two women after months of surveillance. The manager of Puff Super Value, a neighboring business, described suspicious activity at the spa. “It’s like 7:30 at night and I’m getting ready to do my closing stuff, and a guy in boxers ran through my back way out the front, and I’m like … ” Sara Barnes said. The owner of a neighboring hair salon said she called the police multiple times and expressed relief that the spa was raided. Barnes agreed, saying, “I feel safer for our community, like we all know what’s been going on, but it’s kinda like kicked under the carpet. But the more that gets shut down, the better I feel.”The task force said the women were offering customers sexual services. Officers began monitoring the business in February. Investigators said Qian Sarah Ma and Ximei Dong were also living in the business space illegally. “A lot of us knew what was going on for years and years and years. They would shut one down and another three would pop up. It was like playing whack-a-mole with it. They are doing their best, and I’m glad they are doing what they are doing,” Sara said. Ma and Dong both face prostitution-related charges. The task force said investigations into other spas providing illegal services are ongoing throughout the county.

LEBANON, Pa. —

The Lebanon County Human Trafficking Task Force shut down MK Spa along Route 72 and arrested two women after months of surveillance.

The manager of Puff Super Value, a neighboring business, described suspicious activity at the spa.

“It’s like 7:30 at night and I’m getting ready to do my closing stuff, and a guy in boxers ran through my back way out the front, and I’m like … ” Sara Barnes said.

The owner of a neighboring hair salon said she called the police multiple times and expressed relief that the spa was raided.

Barnes agreed, saying, “I feel safer for our community, like we all know what’s been going on, but it’s kinda like kicked under the carpet. But the more that gets shut down, the better I feel.”

The task force said the women were offering customers sexual services.

Officers began monitoring the business in February. Investigators said Qian Sarah Ma and Ximei Dong were also living in the business space illegally.

“A lot of us knew what was going on for years and years and years. They would shut one down and another three would pop up. It was like playing whack-a-mole with it. They are doing their best, and I’m glad they are doing what they are doing,” Sara said.

Ma and Dong both face prostitution-related charges. The task force said investigations into other spas providing illegal services are ongoing throughout the county.