QCOSTARICA – A massage parlor located in the Catedral district, in downtown San José, served as a front for the offering of sexual services, reported the Organismo de Investigación Judicial (OIJ), following a raid Thursday afternoon.
The owner of the massage parlor, a 23-year-old man with the surname Torijano, was arrested for alleged pimping (proxenetismo in Spanish) after a search of the premises
“The investigation began approximately three months ago, after receiving reports that a house, which supposedly operated a massage parlor, was used to offer sexual services, of which part of the profits went to the owner of the property,” the OIJ said through its press office.
“In the investigation carried out, it was determined that from 9 am and, until 8 pm, a large number of “clients” entered the property, some staying for hours.
“The women, apparently, provided sexual services charging an amount of ¢20,000, of which they had to give half to the owner of the house, who is the Colombian who was finally arrested and passed with a report from the Public Ministry,” said the Judicial Police.
During the raid of the premises, three women, aged between 18 and 25 years, were found in the massage parlor, two of them were Costa Rican and one Nicaraguan, the OIJ said.
As it is common in these cases, the women offering sexual services are victims.
Prostitution, of persons of either sex, in Costa Rica is not a criminal offense. Nor is it to purchase sexual favors as long as there are no minors (under the age of 18) involved.
However, proxenetismo is a criminal offense punishable with a prison sentence of three to six years and four to ten years, if involving minors.