Four Methuen spas that city officials suspected of being fronts for human trafficking operations have abandoned their buildings in the wake of a crackdown on sex trafficking at bodywork businesses this week, officials said Thursday.

Four others were closed by city officials in recent days, and a fifth shut down last month — bringing the number of spas closed amid the city’s efforts to nine.

“Just one week ago, there were nine bodyworks businesses in Methuen with suspected human trafficking activity,” Methuen Mayor D.J. Beauregard said during a press conference. “In less than a week, every single one of them has either been shut down by the City of Methuen or abruptly abandoned.”

Five of the spas were closed by the Methuen Department of Health, Human Services, and Inspections, with on

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