Woman charged after human trafficking uncovered at massage parlor

By Beau Bowman

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — Des Moines police have a suspect in custody after a monthslong investigation into human trafficking in the city.

“The most concerning piece is that when we went in there, they were doing business as we expected,” said Sgt. Paul Parizek with the Des Moines Police Department.

After neighbors complained about suspicious activity at a massage parlor in the 800 block of Hull Avenue, Des Moines police opened an investigation in January. A search warrant was executed on Wednesday, police say, during which three adult female victims were found in the business.

Police say there is evidence to indicate forced labor and commercial sexual activity.

“It looks like these victims they weren’t being allowed to have their identification documents and that’s one strong indicator when you look at these cases of someone who is being held and being forced to do something against their will,” Parizek said.

Investigators also found $80,000 in cash.

“That might give you an indicator of also the demand is out there and that’s very troubling because one of the challenges with this is you might rescue these three women arrest this one person, there is somebody waiting to fill that void,” Parizek said.

Huirong Zhou, 42, of Des Moines, was arrested and charged with three counts of human trafficking. Zhou was booked into the Polk County Jail.

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