The Dubai Department for Economic Development (DED) has banned completely closed rooms in massage parlours as several of these parlours were found using the rooms for immoral activities.
In coordinated raids with Dubai Police, carried out across the emirate, the DED registered 80 violations of regulations and requirements by the massage parlours, Arabic daily Al Khaleej reported on Monday.
The DED has issued notices to all the parlours to redesign their interiors according to the new specifications which will ensure that no immoral acts take place in the parlours while maintaining the privacy of the customers.
The massage centres have been afforded a year’s grace period to redesign their outlets, without which their licences wouldn’t be renewed.
Omar Bushehab Executive Director of the Inspectorate of Commerce and Consumer Protection at the Department said, “We organised a number of inspection visits to these centers, to monitor their commitment to the requirements and regulations specific to their work and many were found wanting.”
The offences reported range from employment of women at men-only massage centres, presence of sexual tools at the centres, clients and masseurs caught carrying out immoral acts etc.
Fines, which range between Dh2000 and Dh20,000 depending on the level of offence, were imposed on many centres for making the employees wear very skimpy clothes.
Apart from fines, the DED also has the right to close down the parlours either temporarily or permanently depending on the gravity of the offences, Bushehab informed.
He also said that the department monitors the centers periodically to ensure their compliance with the laws and regulations governing their activities.
A large number of girls, especially Chinese, were captured in the raids, who were either working illegally, in breach of the set conditions or found wanting in their dresses.
Among the new preconditions that the DED has set for the renewal of massage parlours include appropriate uniforms for masseurs and location of centres away from residential areas.
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