Updated on Aug. 9, 2:30 p.m.
The NYPD last week arrested four people in connection to a prostitution ring that was being run out of a Flushing home.
On Aug. 4 at about 11:40 p.m., police entered 146-04 Kalmia Ave. and arrested two men and two women who were allegedly running and participating in the illegal, x-rated business.
The operation occurred after state Senator Tony Avella contacted the 109th Precinct in June to relay reports from residents who claimed to have seen troubling behavior at the house during nighttime hours.
In a press release, Avella said, neighbors witnessed men parking their cars in front of the Kalmia Avenue house every night. The men would be escorted to the side door and leave about an hour later. Neighbors also saw women in “very revealing clothing” going into and coming out of the home frequently.
According to police, the two men who were arrested ran the prostitution ring. Wenbo Zhang, 30, of Flushing and Quishi Wang, 30, of Flushing were charged with promoting prostitution and of offering others sexual intercourse for a fee.
Xiao Li, 35, and Fu Shin, 39, who are both Flushing residents, were charged with agreeing to perform sexual acts for money.
QNS spoke to a 21-year-old Elmhurst resident — she declined to provide her name — whose boyfriend lives across the street from the residence. She often waits in her car near the house to pick up her boyfriend.
She said she noticed many middle-aged men “old enough to be my dad” coming in and out of the residence and has occasionally seen younger women around the property as well.
Several men in their 30s were sitting in the property’s backyard when a reporter visited the house.
“I was happy to hear this week that the NYPD took action and shut down the prostitution business giving much needed relief to the Flushing community,” Avella said. “This property could not have been shut down without the help of the neighbor who alerted me to the situation. This positive outcome is a direct result of a community member caring enough about the quality of life of everyone in the area to report something that seemed out of place.”
