Raleigh police investigate massage business

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Yet another Triangle massage business has been busted, this time in Northwest Raleigh.

It appears Canaan Massage in the Lynwood Collection shopping center on Creedmoor Road is now out of business.

In a search warrant obtained by ABC11, Raleigh police investigators say they first started investigating the business late last year.

They claim the owner of the business, 34-year-old Huilan Tian of Cary, tried to bribe a detective to stop the investigation in December and again in March.

She was charged in late March with two counts of offering bribes.

That led Lynwood shoppers to speculate.

"There were probably other things going on especially if the owner tries to bribe an official. That, that's just suspect," said Raleigh resident Montorya Root.

Another shopper, Pam Linstad, told ABc11, "When you hear that a massage place gets busted it kind of does pique your interest."

But the search warrant only indicates police were investigating whether workers at the business had massage licenses.

Licensing something the owner of Pretty Main and Company Salon in the shopping center knows all about.

"Anybody like in the cosmetology, health, beauty field we all have to have a license from the state board," Justin Furgeson told ABC11.

Furgeson says he saw police at the business recently.

According to the search warrant police sent an undercover detective into the business and he was offered a "full body" massage for $70.

That's when two workers were cited for practicing massage without a license.

Justin Furgeson says he's glad it appears Canaan Massage is now closed.

"I'm kind of glad that they are closed down because you don't want family and anybody being exposed to that kind of stuff in a shopping plaza like this."