By ZACH LAIRD, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD — The Commission to Study Human Trafficking Within Illicit Massage Parlors continued its discussion on how best to address the issue during a meeting at One Granite Place Monday afternoon.
First organized in September 2025, the Commission looks to curb trafficking linked to illicit massage parlors by improving licensing oversight, creating a statewide business database, and strengthening protections for victims and licensed workers.
Director of Enforcement for the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification Sarah Rogers explained that she was cautious of sending civilian inspectors into the massage parlors in question.
“Our inspectors are not sworn in. They’re not law enforcement officers, they’re civilians. I would not feel comfortable with any of those people who work with me going into one of these establishments to try and inspect them,” Rogers said.
Town of Derry Police Chief George Feole responded that he would be happy to send a law enforcement officer along with the inspectors.
“As an outsider, I would think that if I were a police chief of a municipality like this where you had the potential of an illicit parlor, I would think it’d be a good use of your time to go in with one of these inspectors… I would think most police chiefs would be in favor of that,” State Rep. Richard Lascelles said.
Lascelles continued that when officials are dealing with the owners of potentially illicit massage parlors, the actual ownership of the site could be questioned. He added that there may be an individual posing as the owner when questioned, covering for the actual owner of the business.
Commission Chair and State Rep. Erica Layon noted another goal was to determine where the funding for the parlors comes from.
Lascelles said he was curious about the workers in the establishments, asking if they were brought into the country illegally. Feole replied that could be the case, adding it’s difficult to determine without the workers having a documented identity to check.
A member of an anti-trafficking task force for Homeland Security, who did not want his name known, spoke before the Commission to explain that money laundering is a key aspect of the problem. He recalled a case where the owner of a parlor paid $500,000 in cash for a house through laundered funds.
“When we say to someone, ‘We think you’re laundering money. Who’s the owner of this business in Dover?’ They’re not going to say they are, but you need to establish who is. Right from the start, you need a license, fingerprints submitted, and a background check,” he said.
He cited the Mann Act from 1910 — which specifically criminalizes transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution or illegal sexual acts — saying it could be a way to charge traffickers each time they bring women across the state border.
He noted that some illicit businesses operate on websites like megapersonals.eu and skipthegames.com, which allow people to connect with potentially trafficked women online.
“If you increase the regulations and make it tougher for the business owners (to operate), I’m concerned that they might go to a different state, but it’s a start,” he said.
Foele said, “Based on the agent’s testimony and what we’ve heard from around the room, I think it’s fair to say that these criminal organizations respond to pressure. (House Bill) 1469 is the tool we need to institute a little pressure on these organizations.”
The Commission will continue to meet through the Nov. 1, 2026 final report deadline to address the commission charge, issues of interest that arise from its efforts, and to better formalize its findings, according to Layon.