Jersey Shore Prostitution Ring Busted, Authorities Say

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Six people have been arrested after a nine-month investigation into a prostitution and money-laundering ring that was operating in Toms River, police said.

The investigation, titled Operation Lucky Kitty, started after a citizen's complaint about suspected prostitution going on at a massage parlor, the Toms River PBA said in a post on Facebook.

As police investigated they determined other locations were involved, the PBA post said.

On Oct. 19, search warrants were executed at four massage parlors in Toms River and a home in Fort Lee and seized nearly $116,000 in cash and two vehicles, and arrested six people, the PBA said.

The PBA did not name those arrested. Patch has requested additional information from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

The charges filed include second-degree money laundering; second-degree conspiracy to commit money laundering; third-degree money laundering; third-degree conspiracy to commit money laundering; promoting prostitution; maintaining a house of prostitution, and obstruction by flight, the PBA said.

Covenant House NJ provided assistance and resources to individuals identified as victims of human trafficking. the PBA said.

The investigation included the Toms River Police Department Special Enforcement Team, Emergency Services Unit and patrol division, along with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force and its Economic Crimes and High Tech Crimes units, Homeland Security Investigations Atlantic City, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.