TROY, Mich. – A massage parlor in Troy was closed down after neighbors noticed something wasn't quite right and alerted the police.
Police said Red Moon massage parlor was a front for prostitution. They made several arrests at the parlor, which is located near the intersection of Wattles and John R roads.
Neighboring businesses said it was the length of time people spent inside, in addition to condoms littered in the parking lot, that tipped them off.
"It just wasn't kosher," Bob Smith said. "You know what I mean?"
Smith suffers from a bad back and was initially pleased to see a new massage parlor move into his neighborhood, but he said the moment he walked in, he got the feeling that something wasn't quite right.
"It was really weird," Smith said. "'You come here, we'll take care of you,' that kind of thing."
Neighboring businesses told police that a steady stream of men were acting suspicious and lurking around the parking lot. The men would enter Red Moon massage come out within minutes.
Troy police paid the parlor a visit Thursday, finding two customers, one from Sterling Heights and one from Hartland inside.
"Those two customers were engaged in sex acts with the masseuse," Capt. Robert Redmond said. "During our investigation, we walked in and found that. That's illegal."
The two customers were arrested for prostitution. Five employees were also arrested, two for prostitution and three for not having a proper license.
Troy has 19 massage businesses, many of which are legitimate businesses, but police have received complaints and are watching them closely. Redmond said they are investigating to protect the real parlors and to shut down the fronts.
The Department of Homeland Security is involved to see if the women working at the business were brought in from out of the country and are part of sex trafficking rings.