Nguyen Hoai Thuong at the Lolita restaurant in HCMC’s District 1. Photo courtesy of the police
The owner of a restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, exclusively for foreigners, was arrested on Saturday amid allegations of facilitating prostitution.
Nguyen Hoai Thuong, 39, owner of the Lolita restaurant in District 1, faces charges of procurement following a police raid at a nearby hotel on Cao Ba Quat Street, where officers discovered two couples engaged in what appeared to be prostitution activities.
The women involved identified themselves as employees of Lolita, claiming they were dispatched to the hotel to cater to foreign clients.
Subsequent police actions led to a search of the restaurant, resulting in Thuong and five other staff members being detained for further questioning. During the investigation, Thuong revealed that since its opening in May 2022, the venue not only offered dining and unlicensed karaoke services, but also employed women tasked with entertaining a solely international clientele to evade local law enforcement detection.
Thuong admitted to permitting her employees to engage in sexual services, which were provided both onsite and at nearby accommodations. The going rate for these services reached up to VND8 million ($315.33), with the women receiving a 60% commission.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the case.
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