By WGGB Staff

REGION (WGGB) -- Police in six local communities teamed up with state police investigators and federal immigration agents to raid unlicensed massage parlors, some of which investigators say were a front for brothels.

Longmeadow police raided the Chinese Massage on Maple Road.  The owner, Xiuli Li, was arrested and charged with operating an unlicensed business and keeping a house of prostitution. Li will be arraigned on Thursday.

Lieutenant Gary Fontaine of the Longmeadow Police Department says, "This has been an ongoing investigation with other local towns and their massage establishments as well."

Raids continued on Belmont Avenue in Springfield.  Jane's Spa and the Chinese Massage Therapy were both closed down.  Immigration agents took three people into custody, according to police.

Search warrants were executed in Hadley at another Jane's Spa and Hadley Massage Therapy. Xiumei Zheng and Zhen Shu were both arrested at those locations and charged with exchanging sexual conduct for a fee. They were arraigned in Eastern Hampshire District Court Thursday and released on $250 cash bail, which had been posted after their arrest.

In East Longmeadow, Korean Massage Therapy has been closed down.  While police did not find any signs of prostitution, they did say at least two employees were living in the building and that is a violation of health and zoning laws.  Three people are in the custody of immigration officials.

Scott Sorell lives nearby.  He was not surprised by the raid on Wednesday, saying, "There's been a lot of traffic in the last few months.  Connecticut plates, Rhode Island plates, New York plates, it's like they're all tourists."

Over the river in West Springfield, police raided 2260 Westfield Street on a warrant for an unlicensed business and solicitation of prostitution. No one was taken into custody, but charges could be filed pending the outcome of the investigation.

In Chicopee, police found unlicensed therapists working at Fiona's on Memorial Drive which they say is not licensed to operate as a massage parlor.

All eight parlors are closed for business.

Seeing the lights off at alleged illegal parlors is good news for those who practice legally. Licensed massage therapist Maureen Slayton says, "We're trying to represent the profession and bring standards up to a higher level and when there are people who are not practicing with integrity it puts everyone at risk.  We want consumers out there to know that there are talented skilled massage therapists that can help people find healing."

The State has an online directory of licensed massage therapists, which you can access by clicking here.