From just 2 or 3 a decade ago to as many as 20 today

Regina police say massage parlours, where sex is often for sale, are rapidly multiplying and there’s little they can do to slow down that growth.

“There’s more and more opening up all the time,” Detective Corporal Tim Filazek told CBC’s iTeam. He said a decade ago “there [were] two or three or four. Now you’re seeing 15 to 20.”

Filazek added it’s not difficult to understand why the sensual massage business is exploding here.

“With the economic boom come more jobs come more people, more disposable income. We’re seeing more and more massage parlours open up.”

And, he pointed out, because of a directive from the Crown prosecutor’s office, “we’re kind of limited of what we can do.”

In December, the Supreme Court declared Canada’s prostitution laws unconstitutional.

Filazek said that led Crown prosecutors in Saskatchewan to recommend police stop laying some prostitution related charges as there’s little hope of a conviction.

Massage parlours offering sex for sale

Massage parlours can be found in houses or retail locations on many of Regina’s major arteries, like Albert, Broad and Victoria.

A hidden camera investigation by CBC’s iTeam confirmed that many massage parlours in Regina offer sexual services for cash.

Filazek says he has conducted his own undercover operation of several massage parlours “and the investigation led to me determining that sexual activity was taking place there.”

Read more…