Costa Mesa police made 32 prostitution-related arrests during the past two weeks, the department said Monday in a statement.

Most of the arrests came from the Vagabond Inn and La Quinta Inn, in meetings made through online ads, Chief Rob Sharnack of the Costa Mesa Police Department said.

The investigation revealed that some prostitutes working in the city have gone elsewhere because of the arrests and that “Costa Mesa is not a safe haven for prostitutes,” according to the statement.

As a way to get rid of motels like these that are often magnets for crime, Costa Mesa city leaders came up with a plan last year to entice motel owners to close rather than penalize them into doing so. The plan would make motel properties more valuable by allowing owners to change the zoning from commercial to high-density residential, which would allow apartment complexes to be built there.

And in 2014, the City Council voted to begin fining motels for excessive nuisance complaints and limiting motels stays to 30 days to oust long-term residents.

Contact the writer: 714-796-2478 or lcasiano@ocregister.com