Police detained 53 people, including 29 women and 24 men, during separate nighttime raids at two spa and salon businesses in Gulshan, Dhaka. The operations took place between 8:00pm and 9:30pm on Wednesday, according to information released by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police media division on Thursday. Police said the businesses were allegedly being used as fronts for immoral and illegal activities.

Gulshan police conducted the raids at Gulshan One Salon on Road No. 24 and Hot Stone Spa on Road No. 99. Authorities said there had been allegations for a long time that immoral activities were taking place behind the businesses’ normal operations. Police launched the operations after verifying confidential information.

Gulshan Police Station Officer-in-Charge Daud Hossain said no illegal activity would be allowed under the cover of spa centres in the area, and raids would continue if such allegations emerged. Legal action against those detained is being processed, while the specific allegations proven against each person will be determined through legal proceedings. The report also noted that 28 people were detained in a Gulshan spa-centre raid in June this year.