On 14/7, 25-year-old Hoat and seven others were detained by the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department's Economic Police Division for alleged trafficking of prohibited goods.
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Nguyen Truong Hoat at the police station. Photo: Police Department |
Nguyen Truong Hoat at the police station. Photo: Police Department
The arrests followed a raid on The Black Lounge bar on Co Bac Street, Cau Ong Lanh ward (former District 1), where police found numerous individuals using nitrous oxide. The raid was a joint operation between the Economic Police Division and the Social Order Administrative Police Division.
A subsequent search of a warehouse on Tran Xuan Soan Street, Tan Hung ward, uncovered hundreds of nitrous oxide canisters, balloons, specialized dispensing equipment, and other related items.
Investigators identified Hoat as the owner of both The Black Lounge and the warehouse. He and his accomplices are accused of operating a large-scale, illegal nitrous oxide distribution network throughout the city.
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The Black Lounge bar during the police raid. Photo: Police Department |
The Black Lounge bar during the police raid. Photo: Police Department
Since the beginning of the year, Hoat allegedly filled balloons with nitrous oxide, supplying them to customers at his bar and selling them to other businesses. At The Black Lounge, he reportedly instructed staff to disguise the nitrous oxide sales by labeling them as "Cocktail" on customer bills. Hoat established a system with dedicated staff for filling balloons, serving customers, and meticulously recording sales.
The group also advertised nitrous oxide for wholesale and retail on social media, utilizing a network of collaborators and a closed delivery and payment system. According to investigators, Hoat and his associates generated tens of billions of dong in illicit profits since the start of the year.
The investigation is ongoing.
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Individuals involved in the nitrous oxide distribution ring. Photo: Police Department |
Individuals involved in the nitrous oxide distribution ring. Photo: Police Department
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department, inhaling nitrous oxide can stimulate the central nervous system, causing euphoria, hallucinations, and loss of behavioral control. Abuse can lead to asphyxiation, brain damage, and even death. Consequently, its recreational use is strictly prohibited.
Quoc Thang
