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Sex Trafficking, Prostitution Report Leads to Arrest, Raid of Business in Guilford Co.

The Guilford County Sheriff's Office has been investigating a prostitution and human trafficking case related to a business in Whitsett.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Sheriff BJ Barnes confirm that they executed a search warrant on a business in Whitsett, during an investigation into human trafficking and prostitution case.

The search warrant was executed on Stoney Creek Spa and Skin Care on Golf House Road West.

Deputies arrested 52-year-old Lixiang Chen and they confiscated $30,000 in cash and 3 vehicles.

Chen is charged with two felony counts of promoting prostitution and one count of continuing criminal enterprise.

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Investigators say Two Chinese Nationals -- ages 33 and 46... were forced to live in the back of Stoney Creek Spa, with no way of communicating with the outside world.

"Yes, that was in the business. This is what they had to live in. When they weren't working, and they were expected to work, and there was work," said Sheriff BJ Barnes.

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Forced to live in a cramped room, all they had were bunk beds and a small kitchen area.

There was no way to contact the outside world.

As for the victims, the Sheriff's Office has been working with World Relief Triad to provide housing services for them, but both victims decided to go out of state to rebuild their lives.

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Either way, this is a partnership both organizations hope can thrive in the future.

"The potential victims here are the witnesses that are going to hold the potential perpetrator's accountable. So how can we ask them to step forward and make sure that this crime doesn't happen again ,and isn't perpetrated again if we can't even take care of them," asked Rachel Parker, the Anti-Human Trafficking Program Manager, with World Relief Triad.

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Sheriff Barnes said the investigation in ongoing and some information won't be release due to the sensitivity of the case. He did confirm more arrests will be made.

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