Garland spa accused of sex trafficking shuts down - The Dallas Morning News

[Sarah Bahari]

A strip mall spa in Garland under investigation for human trafficking has shut down. Investigators found condoms hidden in a coffee can and women wearing provocative clothing at Sen Spa.(Lynda M. Gonzalez / Staff Photographer)


A spa in a Garland strip mall under investigation for human trafficking has shut down.

Sen Spa, also known as Relax Spa, voluntarily closed in response to a state investigation, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation said Monday. Owner Nhon Tinh To also agreed to a lifelong ban on owning or managing massage businesses in Texas, the state agency said in a written statement.

According to the court order, investigators on two separate visits found stockpiles of condoms, women wearing “sexually provocative clothing” and numerous men at the spa on Belt Line Road.

The Dallas Morning News was unable to reach To on Monday, and the business’ number was no longer working. The agreement allowed To to neither admit or deny allegations of human trafficking, the agency said.

During a visit in April, investigators found a fully-stocked refrigerator, a pair of high heels, a suitcase and a coffee can stuffed with condoms. One employee tried to hide from an investigator behind a door, the court agreement says. When found, she showed a New York driver’s license as identification.

On a follow-up in August, investigators found women’s clothing, two wads of cash hidden in dirty linens and a plastic bag of condoms. Two employees said they found the job openings online and had been working at the spa for about two weeks. Both had New York driver’s licenses.

Sen Spa, at 1238 Belt Line Road, sat in a nondescript strip mall sandwiched between a pizza and pasta restaurant and barber shop, near an arcade.

Online, the spa’s services are detailed on sexually oriented websites, where clients share anonymous reviews and evaluations of the women’s bodies. “This place is the real deal,” one client wrote in March 2024, adding that he paid $150 for full service, or sexual intercourse, according to court documents.

In April 2024, a man leaving the spa admitted to a Garland police officer that he visited the spa seeking sexual services and said he paid an extra $50 for his massage.

Following the August inspection, the state issued a six-month emergency closure. Texas law allows the licensing and regulation department to issue such an emergency closure if authorities suspect human trafficking.

State records show the spa was first licensed in 2021. The owner is listed as having a Philadelphia address.

Sen Spa’s closure comes as another North Texas city is cracking down on prostitution at massage parlors. City officials in Plano have sought court orders to investigate massage parlors they believe are a front for prostitution and human trafficking. One business, Tennyson Wellness Center, agreed to shut down earlier this year. Another, Red Rose Spa, is under investigation.

Anyone who suspects human trafficking can contact the National Hotline for Human Trafficking at 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733). If the situation is an emergency or you believe someone is in immediate danger, call 911 and alert the authorities.

Complaints against businesses regulated by the licensing and regulation department, including massage therapists, can be submitted online.