Painesville Township trustees recently voted to prevent new massage parlors from opening in the township over the next year, about a week after a law enforcement investigation resulted in the closure of three local parlors. The moratorium was unanimously approved at the township’s Oct. 15 trustee meeting and prevents the issuing or processing of permits for new massage studio, spa or parlor businesses over the next 12 months. The moratorium resolution cited the potential for those businesses to engage in adult-oriented business or hire unlicensed massage therapists. The moratorium resolution also stated that it is in the township’s best interest to consider whether it needs to make changes to its zoning resolution. “We are in hopes that the moratorium will lead us to better language within our zoning that will then allow us to ensure that only legitimate, upstanding businesses are doing business in Painesville Township and conducting their business within the law,” said township Trustee Gabe Cicconetti. The vote came a day after the Ohio Attorney General’s Office announced the results of Operation END-OHHT, which it described in a news release as a statewide human-trafficking operation that led to the arrests of 132 people who attempted to buy sex. The operation took place in 19 counties from Oct. 6-12 and involved more than 100 law enforcement agencies. As part of the investigation, the news release stated that the Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force searched three Painesville Township spas where human trafficking was suspected: Tang Yun Spa, QQ Spa and Sunrise Spa. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office indicated in a news release that the three spas were closed. Township officials added that those were the only three massage parlors on record in the township. The task force spoke with six potential survivors at those locations and offered them services, the release added. Officials seized $19,399 and are investigating two people who could be charged with engaging in prostitution or possessing criminal tools. The Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force includes the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and other local, state and federal agencies that investigate cases of sex and labor trafficking, the sheriff’s office news release stated. It also trains partners to prevent, identify and investigate human trafficking, and it works with non-governmental agencies that help people impacted by human trafficking, the release added. The Sheriff’s Office stated that human trafficking victims or people who know victims should call 216-443-6085 and ask to be contacted by a human trafficking investigator, or call 844-363-6448.