“Five of these locations were closed through coordinated city action,” Beauregard said. “The other four were shuttered suddenly. When inspectors arrived at those four locations, they were ghost towns, with no sign of activity of any kind.”
“Methuen is not a safe harbor for these criminal enterprises,” he added.
He said officials know people may try to open new illicit spas, and urged people to report suspicious activity.
“That’s why I am urging every resident, if you see something say something,” Beauregard said.
He said the city has launched a new website with resources for victims and warned sex buyers that “you are not invisible.”
“If you engage in this vile activity, we will know who you are, and we will hold you up to public shame,” he said.
Beauregard said city officials are also focusing on landlords where the businesses set up shop.
“All options are on the table, and my administration is reviewing every single one of them,” he said.
Authorities to date have charged only one person in connection with the probe: Suping Zhu, 38, manager of Beauty Garden Spa, one of the establishments the city closed.
Zhu, of Flushing, N.Y., pleaded not guilty Monday in Lawrence District Court to charges of trafficking a person for sexual servitude, deriving support from prostitution, and keeping a house of prostitution.
She was ordered held on $25,000 bail and her next hearing is scheduled for Oct. 24, records show.
During Thursday’s briefing, Methuen’s police chief, Scott J. McNamara, told reporters the four spas that closed voluntarily had done so “just prior” to inspectors arriving.
“Is that a coincidence?” McNamara said. “I’ll let you be the judge.”
He said city police are receiving technological upgrades, including license plate readers that can identify sex buyers coming and going from the suspected brothels.
“The Methuen Police Department will intensify our efforts to counter attempts to reopen by any of these operations determined to be illegitimate,” McNamara said.
Victims of human trafficking can call the local tip line at 978-983-8794 or a national victim hotline at 888-373-7888.
Material from prior Globe stories was used in this report.
Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.
