The City of Sparks says Shanghai Spa on Glendale Avenue is having its business license revoked amid a crackdown on massage parlors where alleged prostitution and suspected human trafficking are taking place.
“On the heels of an investigation by the HEAT team, City Attorney Wes Duncan approved the revocation of a business license of a suspected illegal brothel,” a statement just released to media indicates.
“The investigation spanned from the end of June 2025 to the beginning of September 2025, and uncovered the following findings: First, the location in question, Shanghai Spa located on Glendale Avenue, was advertising sexual services on know prostitution websites. Second, the business phone number associated with the location yielded 237 unique advertisements on several known prostitution websites. Third, there were numerous sexually explicit online reviews associated with that location by sex purchasers who reviewed the sexual services offered at that location. Fourth, HEAT officers conducted surveillance of the location and interviewed numerous purchasers or “Johns” who admitted to paying for sexual services at the location. Based on these findings, there was more than ample evidence to conclude illegal activity was occurring at this location and the City Attorney’s office initiated and approved the revocation of the Shanghai Spa’s business license. As a result of this revocation at Shanghai Spa and the letter from the Sparks City Attorney's Office, the Lotus Massage has also closed its business according to the HEAT team."
“We are seeing a disturbing increase of illegal massage businesses operating throughout the region,” City Attorney Wes Duncan is quoted as saying. “These illicit brothels are havens for illegal activity and suspected human trafficking where women are working and living seven days a week."
This comes less than a week after Wonderful Massage on Hillcrest Drive in Reno was shut down for similar reasons. Earlier this year, in March, another massage parlor 7 Star Massage was evicted from a building on South McCarran Blvd. after an investigation revealed multiple online advertisements depicting illegal prostitution.