UPDATE: Four New York Women Busted In Berkeley, N.J. Prostitution Ring Advertised 'Therapeutic Massage'

by Patricia A. Miller

They were “massage parlors” advertising acupressure and therapeutic massage to patrons, police said.

These businesses, Red Spa and the G and T Acupressure on Route 9 in Bayville, were actually a front for prostitution and human trafficking in the Jersey Shore, Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele said.

Berkeley Township police dectectives and patrol division members arrested five women on Nov. 5, after executing two search warrants at the businesses. The warrants were the result of an ongoing prostitution and human trafficking investigation, the chief said.

The search warrants were simultaneously executed at 367 RT 9, G and T Acupressure and 952 Rt 9 the Red Spa. The women investigated include:

• Peihua Gu, 43, 91st Avenue, Flushing, N.Y.
• Beilei Li, 47, Robins Street, Flushing, N.Y.
• Xiajun Li, 49, Powen Street, Flushing, N.Y.
• YingTao Fiasconaro, 49, Evergreen Drive, New Brunswick
• Feng Chaolin, 58, Bowne Street, Apt 4s, Flushing, N.Y.

All were charged with promoting prostitution, engaging in prostitution and obstructing the administration of law. The women were taken to the Ocean County Jail in Toms River in default of bail. The investigation is ongoing, DiMichele said.

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) Officers, from the Marlton Sub-Office provided invaluable assistance during this investigation and were instrumental in the warrant executions, DiMichele said.

The investigation began after Berkeley citizens contacted police with their concerns about these locations. Residents are encouraged to contact the Berkeley Police at 732-341-1132 x611 to report any suspicious activity. TIPS can remain confidential. Those who need immediate police assistance should call 732-341-1132 or 9-1-1 if an emergency, the chief said.

The arrests come seven months after 15 men from 12 Jersey Shore towns - including Toms River and Berkeley - were charged with prostitution offenses after the State Police and Wall Township police staged an undercover operation at a local motel during the first week of April.

Those arrested were between the ages of 20 and 61 and reside in Wall Township, Bayville, Eatontown, Asbury Park, Middletown, Lakewood, Neptune, Toms River, Hazlet, Piscataway, Manahawkin and Howell, police said.

Charges filed against the men included loitering for the purpose of engaging in prostitution and soliciting prostitution.

The men were released on a summons after being processed.

In February, the Wall Township Police Department said it conducted random inspections to ensure the local hotels and motels were adhering to township ordinances regulating the keeping of a registry and the minimum and maximum lengths of stay guests.

The Wall Township Police Department will continue to conduct quality-of-life checks within the area and make it more difficult for those who engage in criminal activity to operate out of any of the motels, police said.