Police apprehend multiple individuals involved in the ring at the restaurant in HCM City, .— Photo plo.vn

HCM CITY — The police have arrested seven individuals, including the owners of G&G Restaurant, for operating a prostitution ring that catered exclusively to foreign customers.

Investigations revealed that the restaurant, located in Nguyễn Thái Bình Ward, District 1, HCM City, employed over 120 female hostesses, who were encouraged to engage in prostitution for a fee.

Its owners, identified as Vietnamese nationals Hoàng Anh Hào and Ngô Thị Ngọc Thúy, along with Korean nationals Cho Kiwan and Yu Sungho, lured customers through online advertisements promising a 'safe and fun' atmosphere with 'sexy dancing' and 'willing' female hostesses.

They also offered transportation services to nearby hotels and luxury apartments where the prostitution took place.

The restaurant staff were instructed to admit only foreign customers (mostly Chinese and South Koreans) and check their passports upon entry. Those without passports were required to have a guarantor for entering.

With promises of high pay and commissions, the restaurant has drawn many South Korean managers and Vietnamese 'madams' to work.

Security guards were constantly posted outside the restaurant, tasked with dispersing any Vietnamese individuals lingering in the area. They also frequently changed prostitution locations to evade law enforcement.

The illicit business has been operating since May 2024 and is said to have lined the owners' pockets with about VNĐ10 billion (US$400,000).

During a police interrogation, Hoàng Anh Hào, Yu Sungho, and Ngô Thị Ngọc Thúy confessed to instructing staff to engage in prostitution to boost revenue.

Seven individuals, including the four abovementioned owners, are in police custody and expected to face charges of brokering prostitution. — VNS