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Arequipa Closes Alleged Brothel Disguised as Massage Parlor

Prosecutors opened a preliminary case for facilitating prostitution to check for a wider network.

Overview

  • Police and the anti–human trafficking prosecutor raided the “Velvet” storefront in the Unión Mercaderes gallery after passerby tips and found a person having sex inside.
  • Officers detained the receptionist at the scene and later brought into the case a woman who said she owned the shop.
  • The city shut the business for lacking a license and the ITSE safety certificate, which buildings in Peru need to show basic fire and structural safeguards.
  • Prosecutor Jonathan Nicolás Mollo Huanca ordered the seizure of phones plus medical exams and home checks to gather evidence.
  • Investigators said they will look for other sites using a massage cover in central Arequipa, which could trigger more closures and inspections.