Nashville Police Raid Nail Salons In Prostitution Bust, Seize New Leather Sectional

DONELSON, TN — Culminating a months-long investigation, Metro Police raided three Donelson businesses Thursday, arresting four people for promotion prostitution and saying that human trafficking and money laundering charges could be coming.

Undercover detectives raided Shine Nails on Elm Hill Pike, Blue Sapphire on Donelson Pike and Healing Arts Massage on Old Hickory Boulevard Thursday afternoon, all of which are fronts for prostitution, according to Metro Police. (For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Middle Tennessee Patch morning newsletter.)

An investigation began in April following complaints from neighbors about the true nature of the three business and police say that in the subsequent four months at least three known instances of prostitution were documented.

All three businesses are operated by four people — Loi Lam, 57, Jie Allen, 46, Ying Jiang, 27, and Ying Zhang, 33. Detectives say all four were seen driving young women dressed in "provocative clothing" from a home on Seven Points Pass, owned by Allen, and a Central Pike apartment to the three businesses.

Detectives say that on July 3, they observed 10 men enter Shine Nails between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., all staying between 52 and 78 minutes.

Police also raided the Seven Points Pass home, seizing $61,000 in cash and "a new leather sectional with the tags still attached."

Lam, Allen, Jiang, and Zhang were charged with promoting prostitution, but police say a money laundering and human trafficking investigation is ongoing and more charges could be laid at a later date.

Some of the eight women, all from the Peoples Republic of China, who were working in the businesses when they were raided Thursday received misdemeanor citations for prostitution. Metro Police say they have contacted advocacy groups that work with sex trade victims to provide assistance to those women.

Images via Metro Nashville Police Department