Chicago police and feds raid massage parlor in Brighton Park; alderwoman says business was front for prostitution

Federal and local law enforcement officers shut down a massage parlor operating in Brighton Park on Monday. The local alderwoman said the business was a front for prostitution and possibly human trafficking.

Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th) questioned why the business at 38th and Archer was open in the first place.

"They were actually running activity in a place that didn't have a business license," she said.

Video shows local, state, and federal law enforcement officers moving in on Monday, arresting women and a man accused of running an illegal prostitution operation in plain sight.

"The illegal activity doesn't just happen within those four walls. It comes out. It really affects families and the young people that are crossing," Ramirez said.

The alderwoman said a worker recently propositioned a boy as he walked by the property. The child came home and told his parents, leading to Monday's raid.

"Family did reach out to our office. You know, we were furious, because we have known about this activity and made sure we contacted CPD, and CPD came almost immediately," she said.

The business was already on the radar of police. The solicitation of a child allowed them to move in quickly, raiding the massage parlor, but it turned out some of women might have been forced to work at the illegal business.

"There's this other deeper conversation we have to have about the trafficking that may be happening," Ramirez said.

While the massage parlor has been shut down, Ramirez said there are more like it operating in the ward and across the city.

"I know that it's just not happening the 12th Ward, and so I hope that, as a city, we can come together," she said.

She's asking residents to report anything suspicious and she's calling on property owners to do better too.

"We need to make sure ultimately our landlords, as well, are doing their due diligence, and knowing who they're renting to and not just taking money up front, but knowing ultimately throughout that lease that they're being good neighbors," she said.

The Chicago Police Department, Illinois State Police, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security all assisted in the raid. DHS is leading the investigation and has not responded to questions regarding how many people were arrested and what charges they might face.