The owner of a massage establishment on the North Katy-Cypress area border that was closed in early July by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) for suspected human trafficking has agreed to close the massage establishment and to permanently quit the massage industry. The information came in a July 23 press release from TDLR.

TDLR had issued a six-month emergency closure order on July 1 against Changjiang Zhong d/b/a Gen Spa (7014 Fry Road, Suite 110) just north of FM 529 in Cypress. Without admitting or denying TDLR’s allegations about human trafficking, Zhong signed a settlement agreement on July 17, 2024, agreeing to a permanent license revocation for two massage establishments licensed at the location, as well as a lifelong ban on owning or managing any massage establishments in Texas. It was the first emergency closure ordered by TDLR under authority granted by House Bill 3579, authored by Rep. Ben Bumgarner and sponsored by Sen. Phil King, and passed by the 88th Texas Legislature.

In mid-May, a TDLR inspector performed a routine inspection of the establishment located at 7014 Fry Road, Suite 110, in Cypress. Once the inspector managed to gain access to the establishment, they noted numerous potential indicators of possible human trafficking, including:

· An ATM machine in the lobby

· Advertisements showing the establishment is open 24 hours

· Lingerie and high heeled shoes in the laundry area

· Unlicensed employees providing massages

· Bedding and other items that showed employees were living in the establishment

In addition, TDLR had previously revoked Zhong’s massage therapist license, as well as an establishment license for a different location. He still owes $21,000 in administrative penalties from the previous violations.

This is the second emergency closure of a massage establishment that TDLR has ordered in the past six weeks. The agency was granted the authority to order an emergency closure through House Bill 3579, which went into effect on Sept. 1, 2023, TDLR’s executive director can issue an emergency order halting the operation of any massage establishment if law enforcement or TDLR believes human trafficking is occurring at the establishment.

“We appreciate the Texas Legislature for providing this tool that will help us shut down massage establishments that are endangering their employees and, potentially, their customers. TDLR will continue to defend vulnerable people who may be trafficked,” said Courtney Arbour, TDLR executive director.

Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring can contact the National Hotline for Human Trafficking at 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733). If the situation is an emergency or you believe someone is in immediate danger, call 911 and alert the authorities. You can also file a complaint on a TDLR-regulated business that you suspect may be participating in human trafficking by going to tdlr.texas.gov/complaints/.

About TDLR

TDLR provides regulatory oversight for a broad range of occupations, businesses, facilities, and equipment in Texas. The agency protects the health and safety of Texans by ensuring they are served by qualified, licensed professionals. Inspections of individuals, businesses, and equipment are done on a regular basis to safeguard the public. Currently, the agency regulates 38 business and occupational licensing programs with almost 1,000,000 licensees across the state.