On May 31, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation issued a six-month emergency closure of northwest Houston massage center Hsin Wei Chen and Foot Reflexology Star for suspected human trafficking, per a news release.

Officials said this is the first emergency closure in the state ordered by the TDLR under the authority of House Bill 3579, which went into effect in September.

The details

During a recent inspection, department inspectors said they had reasonable cause to suspect human trafficking at the establishment located at 10801 Spring Cypress Road, Ste. 12, Houston.

The business owner also had prior cases involving similar conduct with the TDLR, officials said. The department noticed multiple indicators of suspected human trafficking at the massage establishment, according to the news release. However, the exact evidence was not shared.

“TDLR employees are on the front lines in the fight against human trafficking in Texas, and we are grateful to the Texas Legislature for giving us this additional tool to help stop trafficking whenever we see it,” TDLR interim director Brian E. Francis said in the release.

The context

HB 3579, authored by state Rep. Ben Bumgarner, R-Flower Mound, allows TDLR’s executive director to suspend operations of any massage establishment if law enforcement or TDLR suspects human trafficking at the establishment.

“I’m honored to have worked closely beside Sen. [Phil] King and TDLR to get this legislation across the finish line,” Bumgarner said in the release. “Human traffickers belong behind bars, and their victims deserve a chance at a new life. As a husband and father, seeing this legislation make a difference means everything to me."

Those who suspect human trafficking at a TDLR-regulated business can file a complaint here. In cases of suspected human trafficking, contact the National Hotline for Human Trafficking at 1-888-373-7888.