Undercover Prostitution Sting of La Mesa Massage Parlors Nets Two Arrests

Two people were arrested on last Thursday, May 9, in connection with a prostitution sting targeted at massage parlors within the City of La Mesa.

According to La Mesa police, Xiaoyan Cao, 43, and Ivy Lihui, 41, were arrested and booked on prostitution charges.

The sting sought to uncover alleged criminal activity at massage parlors Mesa Spa, in the 8000 block of La Mesa Blvd., and Transcend Spa, in the 7900 block of University Ave.

Both Cao and Lihui are believed to be Chinese nationals.

As part of the operation, the La Mesa Police Department partnered with victim specialists from the FBI, ICE HSI, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s office, as well as Christ Lutheran Church and Crossepoint Life Church (both of La Mesa), to provide victim assistance services to anyone identified as a victim of human trafficking.

Administrative investigations are being conducted at two other locations by the various agencies involved. If found to be in non-compliance, the businesses face potential fines in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Detective Sean Snow of the LMPD Investigations Division began investigating reports of prostitution and possible human trafficking at massage parlors in the City of La Mesa in 2012. This joint operation was the culmination of several previous undercover operations at these businesses.