Video captures the moment Aurora police raid massage parlor for prostitution

AURORA, Ill. - Aurora police are going after massage parlors for prostitution, which sometimes leads to larger investigations and the discovery of human trafficking rings.

Recently, Aurora police raided three massage parlors. 

Inside, they find non-compliant, illegitimate businesses and employees offering an undercover cop more than a massage.

At one location, the door is locked, and the team has to force their way inside to ensure the safety of their undercover.

But the mission here is even bigger.

Sometimes there are clues and signs that may lead to human trafficking. 

"Especially with the massage parlors, you will find out that the women have multiple aliases, multiple names, and you will find out that they have arrests," said Sgt. Jeff Hahn of the Aurora Police Department.

Acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations Chicago Sean Fitzgerald says last year, federal agents arrested more than 2,300 people for human trafficking related charges, 350 of them were convicted.

In turn, they helped free more than 730 victims.

"These victims are not criminals, you know, they're not co conspirators. They're not accomplices. They're victims," said Fitzgerald.

Hahn, his team and an HSI agent focused on three businesses.

"They advertise the massage, you go for the massage, and you are offered sexual favors for additional money," said Hahn.

And that’s exactly what happened — at all three locations.

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The undercover went in for a massage while the team waited in squad cars nearby for a code word, which was their green light to approach.

They make entry quickly into one of the businesses, Apple Massage.

The business has beds, sheets, lotions and oils, but also a full kitchen, stocked pantry and dinner in a crockpot — clues the workers may be living here.

Two more businesses follow with similar situations.

Inside Sun Massage, a seemingly legitimate business is doubling as an apartment.

"From what I'm seeing [in] my experience is that they are using this as their home, or they are basically living here as well as they are working here, so they work their day, and they come in here and live, eat and then next day start all over again," said Hahn.

Finally, at Massage Lilly, police say an employee wouldn't come to the locked door to let them in.

Hahn says it became a safety issue for their undercover inside.

"I've been doing this a long time and that's the first time we’ve actually had to breach a business door," said Hahn.

Inside, officers found more cameras and personal belongings.

All three masseuses were charged each with one misdemeanor count of prostitution. This raid did not turn up human trafficking charges, but they have in the past.

Fitzgerald says sometimes during investigations victims themselves, become witnesses.

"That's the hardest part of all this because without that victim without their trust, which in that moment, if they are being trafficked, trust is not one of their strengths anymore, right?" said Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald says HSI is a victim centric organization, and you can help.

Of the three businesses mentioned in our story, two were shut down following the raids, but one reopened at a new location.

Another was supposed to close due to building code violations, but did not.

FOX 32 asked all three businesses for comments on this story, but have either not heard back from them or they did not answer our questions.

If you or someone you know is being trafficked, text the word "help" to 233-733.

If you think you have come across a trafficked victim, dial 866- 347-2423.