MORGAN HILL — A dozen illicit massage parlors were shuttered in Morgan Hill for allegedly providing sexual services, authorities said Thursday.
The 12 businesses were shut down by police during an 18-month operation, according to the Morgan Hill Police Department. The parlors either had their permits revoked or were denied permits after the city changed its municipal code to tighten requirements.
Some of the businesses were found to be advertising sexual services online or caught by investigators providing sex, authorities said. Others had contraception in the rooms, lied in the permit application process or were otherwise generally promoted as a place for illegal sexual activity. Police found that the alleged sexual activity occurred both after-hours and during regular business hours.
The businesses that were shut down include A&M Health Center, Angel Beauty Spa, Body Care Foot Spa, Body Care Massage, Elegant Foot Spa, Flower Day Spa, Laura Health Center, Lucky Spa, Morgan Hill Spa, New Times Massage, September Day Spa and TWNS Spa.
Police also made multiple arrests of people on suspicion off pimping, pandering, supervising prostitution activities and soliciting prostitution, authorities said.
In 2023, Morgan Hill saw an “unprecedented” increase in applications for massage business permits after similar businesses were closed across the Bay Area, officials said. The city partnered with reputable massages businesses, law enforcement, the California Massage Therapy Council and the Santa Clara County Illicit Massage Business Coalition to update the city’s municipal codes to “balance the needs of legitimate businesses with the safety of our community.”
The changes to the municipal codes include requirements that all massage therapists be certified by the California Massage Therapy Council, and that front windows cannot be covered and doors to massage rooms cannot have locks. Owners of establishments that are denied permits also cannot reopen another massage business in the city, and the same storefront cannot be used for another massage business for at least five years.
The updates to the city code went into effect in May 2024 and were further updated in June 2025, authorities said.
Administrative Sgt. Christopher Woodrow said in a press release that the process of investigating illicit massage businesses is “time consuming” and “often frustrating.”
“We took a multidisciplinary approach which included developing profiles from permit applications, communicating with other agencies and working on tips from community members,” Woodrow said. “Resources were often declined and there were no victims of human trafficking willing to provide testimony against their suspected traffickers which meant our team had to work even harder to ensure our decisions were not overturned on appeal.”
Capt. Mario Ramirez said in the press release that some of the shuttered businesses left the city after their licenses were revoked, but others hired attorneys to appeal the decision.
“The hard work and dedication of our team ultimately prevailed in all instances where suspected sexual activity was occurring,” Ramirez added.
Santa Clara County is one of three counties with the highest number of illicit massage businesses in the country, alongside Los Angeles County and Orange County, authorities added. The Human Trafficking Institute has found that California is the home of more than a quarter of the estimated 10,000 illicit massage parlors operating across the United States.
“When you visit a licensed massage therapist, you’re entering a professional healthcare environment. We follow strict codes of ethics, maintain state licensure, and uphold the same professional boundaries you’d expect in any other healthcare setting,” Sarah Ellingson, owner of Rooted Republic, said in the press release. “By supporting legitimate, licensed massage therapists, our community helps protect the integrity of the profession and ensures that therapeutic touch remains a safe, respected, and valuable form of care.”