BANGKOK – Thai police said Monday that they have obtained an arrest warrant for a mother who allegedly left her 12-year-old daughter working illegally at a massage parlor in Tokyo on charges of human trafficking.

The mother is currently detained in Taiwan for suspected involvement in prostitution. A senior Thai police official said that the mother will likely be transferred to Japan within one or two months.

Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department has already obtained an arrest warrant for the mother on suspicion of violating the child welfare law.

Thai police said they are continuing to investigate whether anyone else was involved in the incident.

According to the MPD, the girl came to Japan with her mother in late June and was taken to a massage parlor. The mother disappeared the next day, while the girl was forced to provide sexual services to customers.

A Thai support group that interviewed the girl’s relatives stated that the mother, now 29, lost her husband about seven years ago and has supported the family since then by working as a massage therapist.

An aunt of the girl told reporters at the Thai police headquarters on Monday that she is glad to hear that her niece is safe, adding that she hopes the niece will come back to the family. The girl's grandmother said she wants to see her grandchild soon.

The incident came to light in September when the girl sought help from the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau.