Nguyễn Trương Anh Tuấn, the mastermind behind the operation. — Photo cadn.com.vn

ĐÀ NẴNG — Police in the central city of Đà Nẵng have dismantled a prostitution ring operating through the Telegram messaging app with over 14,600 members.

Nguyễn Trương Anh Tuấn, 40, from Đà Nẵng’s Ngũ Hành Sơn District, was identified as the person behind the operation and was arrested on Monday.

He confessed to running the prostitution ring, which centred around a Telegram group named 'Lan Quế Phường,' active since 2022 with more than 14,600 members.

He had recruited around 300 sex workers into the network, with transactions ranging from VNĐ500,000 ($20) to VNĐ5 million ($200) per session. He collected monthly fees from the sex workers, ranging from VNĐ500,000 to VNĐ2 million, police said.

Since 2022, the group facilitated transactions worth tens of billions of đồng, with Tuấn allegedly making billions from the illicit activities.

Đà Nẵng police are continuing their investigation and pursuing other individuals connected to the case. — VNS