Manager of Methuen spa facing human trafficking, prostitution charges

The manager of a spa in Methuen has been arrested on human trafficking and prostitution charges after an investigation that was launched due to complaints from residents, Methuen Police Chief Scott McNamara said.

Suping Zhu, 38, of Flushing, New York, has been arrested on charges of deriving support from prostitution, keeping a house of ill fame, and trafficking a person for sexual servitude, according to a statement issued by McNamara on Sunday.

Officers executing a search warrant at Beauty Garden Spa on Wallace Street on Sept. 4 found living quarters for two women in the basement and the Department of Health, Human Services, and Inspections ordered the business closed citing “the unlawful habitation of individuals within a commercial premises lacking the requisite residential facilities and accommodations necessary to support lawful occupancy.”

On Friday, Zhu was taken into custody without incident on the arrest warrant and will be arraigned Monday in Lawrence District Court.

“This operation marks the first blow in our aggressive campaign to eradicate human trafficking and sexual servitude in Methuen. The Methuen Police Department, standing united with Mayor Beauregard, is sending a clear and unmistakable warning to every nefarious proprietor running these vile operations: we are coming for you, and we will shut down your illegal enterprises with determined action,” said Chief McNamara. “To the ‘johns’ fueling this despicable trade, know this: you are not invisible, and we are targeting you next with the full might of the law. Human trafficking and sexual servitude are not victimless crimes. They exploit the vulnerable, destroy lives, and poison our community. We will relentlessly pursue every perpetrator to ensure they face justice. This is only the beginning, and the Methuen Police Department, backed by our community and law enforcement partners, will not rest until these crimes are eradicated from our city.”

The Beauty Garden Spa has remained closed since the search warrant was served. Additional charges are possible as an ongoing investigation continues. 

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