THE owner of a massage parlour raided by police in Edinburgh said it was "business as usual" yesterday.
A number of establishments in the capital were targeted on Friday by police over concerns about lax licensing laws in the capital.
More than 150 Police Scotland East Division officers and social workers swooped on the saunas, which are often fronts for brothels.
However, one sauna boss, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the raids were "all for show".
He said: "They were interested in checking on the welfare of the ladies, but we had no problems and there were no arrests or charges brought.
"It was fairly routine and the police were smiling and joking with us while they were here. I wouldn't call it a raid. They weren't battering down doors or anything like that. They were quite happy with the way we run our establishment."
Police carried out the raids despite the apparent blind eye being turned towards prostitution in Edinburgh.
Since the country's eight police forces were brought under the Police Scotland banner, attempts have been made to iron out regional variations in policing.
But with a number of brothels masquerading as massage parlours operating in Edinburgh, there are concerns among police that a climate has been created where city officials tacitly condone the existence of brothels.
The issue is further complicated because all massage parlours – whether legitimate or not – have to have a licence from the local authority, although it is never openly acknowledged that some will in fact be selling sex.
The owner who spoke to The Herald said there had never been any problems under the old regime of Lothian and Borders Police, adding that he believed the raids were designed to send a message rather than to target any specific crime.
He said: "They were just doing their jobs, but what was the point of all those officers? I think it was strong-arm tactics on the part of the new chief constable.
"It was all a bit over-the-top. They told us they were looking for women who had been trafficked, but there's nothing like that here.
"Once they had carried out their checks they took a few things and we were open again."
Police said 30 women of various nationalities were interviewed in relation to prostitution and officers are pursuing inquiries relating to several serious sexual offences.
Three people in locations in Edinburgh and Fife have been charged with drugs offences, while assets worth about £500,000 have been seized.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman rejected suggestions the raids were an attempt to apply Scotland-wide measures to local issues.
She said: "The single service provides the opportunity for a more consistent national approach to policing. Built into this, is the flexibility to deal with local issues, including those around licensing.
"Along with our partners, we are dedicated to tackling organised crime, protecting people from harm and keeping our communities safe.
"The Police Scotland approach ensures not only that everyone shares the same focus, but also the ability to adapt to local needs."
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