(CNN) It's now a sprawling sex trafficking investigation involving many jurisdictions and ensnaring wealthy, powerful suspects, but it began with a health inspector observing curious details suggesting women might be living at a Jupiter, Florida, day spa. Since at least July, after a state Health Department employee alerted police to signs of human trafficking, authorities had suspected Orchids of Asia Day Spa was providing more than massages and facials. She reported back that the spa housed two rooms with beds, sheets and pillows, the affidavit said. They also conducted traffic stops on customers leaving the business, who confirmed they had not patronized the day spa for its advertised services, it said. Contrary to beliefs the women are abducted and forced into sex work, Martina Vandenberg, founder of the Human Trafficking Legal Center, says most women often enter the sex work industry unwittingly.

Source: CNN February 25, 2019 20:31 UTC