Spa Centres’ Thailand Connection: Sex trade flourishes despite police crackdown

Several Thai women apprehended at Spa Centres over the past 6 months; Multiple Centres sealed

By Sarabjit

Jammu Tawi, May 15: Following the exposure of a sex racket allegedly operating from a spa centre in the Gangyal area, the rapidly growing number of spa centres across Jammu city has come under suspicion. Over the past six to seven months, several foreign women have been apprehended from such centres, while nearly six establishments have been sealed. However, despite the police administration’s strict stance, incidents of alleged immoral activities continue to surface.

Recently, the Gangyal police busted an alleged hub of illicit activities operating from a residential house in the Bandhu Rakh area and arrested five persons, including two Special Police Officers (SPOs) of the police department and two women from Thailand.

According to police sources, the Gangyal police had received information regarding the frequent movement of foreign women in and out of a particular house in the Bandhu Rakh area. Locals had also reportedly observed suspicious movement of visitors who stayed at the premises till late at night, leading to suspicions that a sex racket was being run from the house.

Acting on the inputs, the police launched an investigation. A team from Gangyal Police Station conducted a surprise raid at a rented accommodation in the Bandhu Rakh area of Kunjwani around 8 PM on Friday night. The house had allegedly been rented by Diler Singh, a resident of Bandhu Rakh, Kunjwani.

Five persons, including two foreign nationals from Thailand, were arrested from the spot. Sources said that the house where the racket was allegedly being operated had reportedly been rented by an SPO of the Jammu and Kashmir Police presently posted at the District Police Lines (DPL), Jammu.

The arrested women were identified as Jongrek Horshap and Praphasini Sirisom, both residents of Thailand. In connection with the case, FIR No. 47/2026 has been registered at Gangyal Police Station under Sections 8 and 21 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act.

Foreign women previously apprehended at Spa centres

This is not the first instance of foreign women being apprehended from spa centres in Jammu. Earlier, in February 2026, police raided the “Shine Spa Centre” in the Narwal area, where two Thai women working without valid work permits were taken into custody. An FIR was registered against them under the Foreigners Act.

Similarly, in December 2025, a Thai woman was detained from two spa centres in the Channi Himmat area, following which a case was registered against a spa owner from Haryana under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Immigration Act.

Following the repeated incidents, the District Magistrate of Jammu imposed stringent regulations for spa and massage centres. Under the new rules, cross-gender massages have been prohibited, and police verification has been made mandatory for all therapists. Several spa centres failing to comply with the regulations have already been sealed.

What are the rules?

Under existing regulations, whenever a foreign national arrives in a locality, the person hosting them is required to inform the nearest police station. Complete records and details of the foreign national must also be submitted to the authorities. However, in the recent cases involving foreign women apprehended from spa centres, no such information had reportedly been shared with the police.

Six Spa centres sealed in March

In March this year, the Jammu district administration sealed six spa and massage centres for allegedly violating regulatory norms and engaging in illicit activities under the guise of wellness services. The action was taken under orders issued by District Magistrate Dr. Rakesh Minhas to regulate the functioning of such establishments across the district.