The Rockland Police Department said nearly a dozen Maine men have been charged in connection with a human trafficking investigation.
Police said that in late July , they received information from law enforcement in Lincoln County that a massage parlor called Asian Massage, where sexual acts were allegedly being done in exchange for money, had moved from Waldoboro to Rockland. Detectives from the Rockland Police Department began investigating Asian Massage and found suspected ties between the establishment and organized crime and human trafficking from New York.
Police said the investigation involved federal law enforcement partners and included physical and electronic surveillance, interviews with patrons and a search warrant for discarded materials.
In December , Rockland police officers and U. Department of Homeland Security agents executed a search warrant at Asian Massage and seized physical and electronic evidence, some of which is still being processed by Homeland Security. Authorities also interviewed multiple people during the search. The Rockland Police Department has charged 11 men with engaging a person for prostitution so far, and police said additional criminal charges are expected.
Asian Massage is no longer active in Rockland, but there are still several suspected active locations around Maine. Detectives have continued to investigate with federal, state and local law enforcement partners, including the Knox County District Attorney's Office.
