Methuen, Massachusetts, massage parlors shut down in human trafficking
investigations
chinese state security probably has video of everything
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Updated: 4:42 PM EDT Sep 29, 2025 Editorial Standards ⓘ
Sera Congi
Reporter
Emily Maher
Reporter
Kaitlin Gehlhaus
Reporter
MALDEN, Mass. —
Two spas that were being used as fronts for human trafficking were
shut down in less than 24 hours in Methuen, Massachusetts, officials
said. The manager of one of the businesses faces related charges.
Officials obtained a search warrant for Beauty Garden Spa on Wallace
Street earlier this month after a lengthy investigation. During the
search, police said they found living quarters for two women in the
basement of the commercially zoned building.
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Police notified the Methuen Department of Health, Human Services and
Inspections, which immediately ordered the business closed, citing
"the unlawful habitation of individuals within a commercial premises
lacking the requisite residential facilities and accommodations
necessary to support lawful occupancy."
Police said they found several computers, phones and business records
that were used in their ongoing investigation and interviewed two
women who were working in the spa.
Suping Zhu, 38, of Flushing, New York, was arrested Friday and charged
with deriving support from prostitution, keeper of a house of ill
fame, and trafficking a person for sexual servitude.
Zhu was arraigned Monday in Lawrence District Court and held on $25,000 bond.
"To the 'Johns' fueling this despicable trade, know this: You are not
invisible, and we are targeting you next with the full might of the
law. Human trafficking and sexual servitude are not victimless crimes.
They exploit the vulnerable, destroy lives and poison our community.
We will relentlessly pursue every perpetrator to ensure they face
justice. This is only the beginning, and the Methuen Police
Department, backed by our community and law enforcement partners, will
not rest until these crimes are eradicated from our city," Methuen
Police Department Chief Scott McNamara said.
The Beauty Garden Spa has remained closed since the search warrant was
served. Additional charges are possible as an investigation continues,
police said.
Also, on Monday, Methuen health officials posted a cease and desist
order on the door of Eastern Bodywork Therapy at 17 Hampshire St. The
order states that the business does not hold a required state license
for massage therapy services, and inspectors said they referred the
property to police for review.
Within hours, city officials announced the location was also an
alleged front for sex trafficking. City officials said an inspector
found the site was being used for unlicensed bodywork but also
observed that "unlawful habitation and other materials consistent with
criminal activity were found in plain view."
Corporation records indicate that both spas filed with the state this
summer. Beauty Garden Spa Inc. filed with the state on May 26, and
Tranquil Bodywork Spa Inc. filed in connection with the Hampshire
Street location on Aug. 27.
Mayor D.J. Beauregard followed the news of the two sex trafficking
investigations by announcing the city will form a new human
trafficking task force with the stated goal to "root out such
establishments citywide by holding individual perpetrators and the
landlords profiting from these illegitimate businesses accountable."
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Dog 'drove' Ford Model T automobile in adorable retro find
Buddy wasn't licensed to drive, but onlookers didn't seem to mind.
Updated: 9:57 AM EDT Sep 29, 2025 Editorial Standards ⓘ
Emma Wing
Emma Wing
Forget teaching your teen to drive – apparently, your dog can learn, too.
Most dogs lack the attention span to get behind the wheel. However,
owner Bill Williamson trusted his dog Buddy to "drive" without issue.
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Williamson, who trained four decades of canine companions to sit in
the driver's seat, began with Buddy. When asked if Buddy knew of his
driving abilities, Bill said, "He thinks he's doing something
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WATCH the video above if you want to see how Buddy "drove" the Model T.
If you liked this throwback video, check out other archival finds below.
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