BROTHELS in Gladesville and Eastwood were raided by a special task force last Thursday.
The joint operation involved the Gladesville Police crime team, officers from Ryde Council, Federal Police and the Department of Immigration.
The first raid at 5pm was at the approved brothel in Gladesville, where police found one of the women workers hiding under a bed.
A man claiming to be a security guard was found to have an expired visa.
Two owners and three other women were interviewed.
Infringement notices totalling $7500 were issued.
A few hours later, the team descended on an approved massage parlour in Eastwood where they arrested a man found in possession of a gram of cocaine.
A search of the premises turned up 83g of the drug “ice” with a street value of $20,000.

See the full article from “Cumberland Courier Newspapers”

SIX remedial massage parlours have been found to be operating as illegal brothels and have been ordered to stop.
Private investigators working for Holroyd Council found the massage parlours were trading outside of their consent by also providing sex services.
Three of the parlours are in Guildford, while the others are in Merrylands, Toongabbie and Westmead.
The council’s director of environmental planning services, Greg Raft said in an email that it had acted quickly.
“Private investigators (have) been able to establish sufficient proof that these services are being offered to clients to enable brothel closure orders to be served.

Cr Mark Pigram recently alerted the council to suspicious activity at the Westmead massage parlour, based at the Oakes Shopping Centre on Hawkesbury Rd. The business is next to units, schools and churches.

See the full article from “Cumberland Courier Newspapers”

Commissioned by the Daily Telegraph, Seage’s firm: Brothel Busters, investigated bathe houses and massage parlours throughout Willoughby City.
A list of 21 allegedly illegal brothels was given to council and Daily Telegraph journalist, Nick Tabakoff, reported under the headline: “Blind eye on illicit brothels turns Chatswood into sin city.”
Seage says the issue of illegal brothels in Chatswood and throughout Willoughby City “is out of control.”
But other stakeholders don’t agree. Sex workers say agendas are at play in relation to reports of illegal brothels in Willoughby City. Investigations are ongoing however Council says it receives few complaints related to brothels.
Scarlet Alliance (Australian Sex Workers Association) CEO Janelle Fawkes, said: “We need to look at the agendas behind reports of supposed increases in brothels operating outside council guidelines. Brothel owners often see individual sex workers or small groups of sex workers working together as competition.”

Police do not attend to enforce compliance from massage parlours operating outside council guidelines.

See the full article from “Reportage Online”

Avalon Beach: The secret life of Sydney’s insular peninsula
Avalon Beach: The secret life of Sydney’s insular peninsula
Artists, writers, surfers and boy soldiers: What other surprises does Avalon have in store?
By Chantal Abitbol
6 June, 2011
The gentle crescent of sand at Avalon Beach and the excellent surf have attracted visitors for decades.
Some 27 kilometers north of Sydney city, only one road connects Avalon to the rest of the world. A well-kept secret, its surf has long attracted board riders. Its beauty once gained the attention of TV series “Baywatch”, but when the glitzy production tried to set up permanently, the locals successfully protested.

“It has a reputation of an insular peninsula, and to a degree that’s true. It has massage parlors, outdoor cafes, boutiques, every form of yoga and alternative therapy. It’s a lot like Byron Bay.”

See the full article from “CNNGo.com”

POLICE are searching for a knife-wielding man who robbed a massage parlour in St Leonards last night.
Police said the armed robber threatened a female worker before stealing a small amount of cash at the Pacific Hwy business around 6.30pm.
The man is described as being 30 to 40 years old, of Caucasian appearance, 180cm tall, with a muscular build and short brown hair.
Police said he had tattoos of a gorilla’s head, spider web and a torch.
He was wearing dark clothing at the time.
Forensic officers established a crime scene and searched the area for clues.
“Police have stepped up patrols of the area as they try to locate the offender,’’ a police spokesman said.
If you have any information, call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

See the full article from “Cumberland Courier Newspapers”

Police are hunting for an armed robber after a north Sydney massage parlour was robbed at knife-point.
Just before 6.30pm (AEDT) on Thursday the knife-wielding man entered a Pacific Highway massage parlour in St Leonards.
The man, who police have been told had tattoos of a gorilla’s head, a spider web and a torch, allegedly threatened a female employee before stealing a small sum of cash and fleeing the store.
He was last seen wearing dark-coloured clothing and has been described as Caucasian, aged about 30 or 40 with a muscular build and short brown hair.
The crime scene has been secured and is being examined by forensics officers and police have stepped up patrols of the area to try to locate the offender.
Police are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

See the full article from “Sydney Morning Herald”

Police are appealing for information after an armed robbery at a Yagoona massage parlour overnight.
About 11pm yesterday, two men (one of whom had a small firearm) and the other a knife entered the business on the Hume Highway at Yagoona near the intersection of Highlands Ave.
A male employee was threatened with the firearm and assaulted as the males demanded money.
The offenders took the employees’ mobile phones and wallets before leaving the building. The males were last seen running along Highlands Ave.
The two men have been described to police as being of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean appearance.
The first man, aged in his mid-20s, was approximately 180cm tall, of solid build and was unshaven at the time he was last seen.

No shots were fired and a male employee of the massage parlour suffered a minor injury after being assaulted during the robbery.

See the full article from “Canterbury-Bankstown Express”

Police are appealing for information after an armed robbery at a south western Sydney massage parlour overnight.
About 11pm yesterday, two males one of whom had a small firearm and the other a knife entered the business on the Hume Highway at Yagoona near the intersection of Highlands Avenue.
A male employee was threatened with the firearm and assaulted as the males demanded money.
The offenders took the employees mobile phones and wallets before leaving the building. The males were last seen running along Highlands Avenue.
The two men have been described to police as being of Middle Eastern/Mediterranean appearance.
The first man, aged in his mid-twenties, was approximately 180cm tall, of solid build and was unshaven at the time he was last seen.

No shots were fired and a male employee of the massage parlour suffered a minor injury after being assaulted during the robbery.

See the full article from “NSW Police Online (press release)”

Published:  28 April, 2011
THE German former pornographic film star who, as revealed in last week’s NT, is planning moving to north Sutherland to open a hairdressing salon and massage parlour, says that he wishes to apologise to the people of Durness.
An article in a Sunday newspaper headlined “German porn star plans to buy hideaway – but faces stiff opposition” quoted various people in Durness, including local Highland councillor George Farlow, as saying the move was inappropriate.
But it was later revealed they had been asked if they approved of gay porn being filmed in the village.
Now, in an exclusive interview with the NT, Philipp Tanzer (whose film name is Logan McCree) says he is sorry that so much bad publicity has been focussed on Durness and he outlines his plans for moving to the village.
And while telling us about his background, he also reveals that, at the age of 16, his mother was shot dead by her second h …

See the full article from “Sutherland Northern Times”

A BUILDING inspector at a Sydney council received free massages and sexual favours from a local bath house in return for not reporting that illegal services were being offered, the state’s corruption watchdog has heard.
Willoughby City Council building inspector Edward Karkowski appeared at a hearing of the Independent Commission Against Corruption today, over allegations he received massages and sexual services at Oriana Bath House in Chatswood since September 2009.
Such services were in breach of development consent given to the bath house by the council in January 2008, which specified it would operate as a beauty and massage centre only, and “that staff would be fully dressed, and that there would be no body to body massage or sex offered at the premises,” the inquiry was told.
Counsel assisting the inquiry, Kate Williams, said the development consent had been approved by Mr Karkowski, who had received illegal sexual services from the bath house “presumably on the implicit understanding that he will turn a blind eye to the breach of the conditions”.

See the full article from “The Australian”