Federal agents, detectives and police officers from several agencies tonight raided three Moon Township spas and one in Monroeville that they say have been operating as fronts for prostitution.

Police described Pine Tree Spa and Sport Spa, both on University Boulevard in Moon, and an unnamed spa at 543 Carnot Road, as "separate and distinct corrupt organizations."

The raid in Monroeville was at Jade Heart, 4044 Monroeville Blvd.

Onlookers who work at a nearby restaurant watched as officials swarmed Sport Spa starting about 6 p.m., they said. Men in rubber gloves dragged dozens of cardboard boxes, furniture and other items from the building and into a U-Haul truck.

At Moon police headquarters, officers could be seen interviewing at least four women, one of whom they took inside in handcuffs.

Police did not say how long they believed the shops had been operating, but onlookers said one business, the Sport Spa, had been open for seven or eight years.

Amber Tautkus, who works nearby, said it was common knowledge in the neighborhood that the spas were fronts for prostitution. She said cars would file into the Sport Spa lot at all hours of the night.

"Midnight is their busiest time," she said. "It's common knowledge."

The raids were the result of an investigation that started in May and involved a host of law enforcement agencies including Moon police, the Allegheny County district attorney's office and Monroeville police. Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI joined police to search the spas and make arrests. Police tonight did not say how many were arrested, nor identify those charged.