Officers make seven arrests at four Sunset massage parlors for health code violations

There’s been a crackdown on massage parlors in Sunset Park.

Last month, the 72^nd Precinct made several arrests at massage parlors after conducting business inspections due to complaints from residents in the community  about activities at the locations.

Officers from the precinct’s Neighborhood Coordinating Officers (NCO) program, a model introduced last year that breaks down the area into four sectors, made a total of seven arrests for health code violations at four of the six locations they investigated.

According to a police source, on Friday, April 14, inspections were conducted in sectors C, which covers what is considered to be the heart of Sunset Park, and D, which handles most of the southern part of the 72nd Precinct as well as Eighth Avenue, and busted four of the establishments.

One individual was arrested at Health Land Bodywork, 4002 Eighth Avenue.

Over at the Moonlight Spa, 4312 Eighth Avenue, two arrests were made, while one arrest was made at the Arcade Salon, 773 51^st Street. Finally, three arrests were made at New Yoyo Beauty, 6220 Fifth Avenue.

Two other locations were investigated, but no illegal activity was observed, and no arrests were made.

A police source from the precinct says that these arrests were due to health code violations, and not prostitution-based.

The bust occurred a couple of weeks before the 68th Precinct completed a sting operation that netted 18 arrests at 12 locations, including seven for prostitution, 10 for unlicensed practice of massage and one for criminal negligence. In addition, Workers Comp issued three stop work orders at different locations, shutting them down pending a court order, including one with a $26,000 fine, and one subpoena was issued to a business that did not have a payroll to show to inspectors.

Residents in Sunset have become weary of the establishments. “It’s always something I would worry about,” said former Sunset resident Ramon R. “A lot of these places seem shady, so I am happy the cops are starting to crack down on the issue.”

Community Board 7 District Manager Jeremy Laufer told this paper that he didn’t know of  the recent activity. “I wasn’t aware of (the arrests),” he said. “I’ve heard of the recent one in the 68, but not the 72.”

He added that residents haven’t approached him. “Not in in the past year I would say,” Laufer said.