On 29/8, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Department's Economic Police Division (PC03) arrested Nguyen Thi My Chi, 35, the manager of Cloud 9 restaurant on Co Bac street (former District 1), along with three staff members for illegally trading prohibited goods.

Nguyen Thi My Chi (far left) and accomplices. Photo: Provided by the Police

Earlier, PC03 coordinated with Cau Ong Lanh ward police to conduct an administrative inspection of Cloud 9 restaurant. They discovered many patrons using N2O (laughing gas). Authorities confiscated eight 5.5 kg N2O tanks, six used tanks, 20 rubber balloons, 333 used balloons, several POS devices, payment receipts, and related paraphernalia.

Investigators determined Chi was an investor and manager of the restaurant, directly overseeing operations and organizing the sale of N2O to customers. Chi purchased the "goods" from sources on social media, paid via bank transfer, then directed staff to inflate rubber balloons and sell them to customers for 78,000-250,000 VND per balloon.

To conceal this illegal activity, Chi required receipts to be marked "CLOUD B", "Bia C9", or other coded designations. From January to date, Cloud 9 restaurant has sold a large quantity of laughing gas, earning nearly 1.7 billion VND in illicit profits.

A few days prior, PC03 also collaborated with Sai Gon ward police to inspect VIBE restaurant on Huynh Thuc Khang street, managed by Pham Nguyen Phuong Oanh, 29. Police caught the establishment in the act of selling and serving laughing gas to customers at their tables.

Confiscated items included four gas tanks, 22 used rubber balloons, two POS machines, 357 payment receipts, and other related evidence.

Pham Nguyen Phuong Oanh (far right) with VIBE restaurant staff. Photo: Provided by the Police

The investigation revealed that since the beginning of the year, Oanh and Nguyen Thi Thanh Tuyen had been selling laughing gas to increase revenue. Staff were assigned roles in managing, inflating balloons, and serving customers. All transactions were coded in the sales software as "Happy" or "Happy Bottle" to avoid police detection.

By the time of the raid, the restaurant had sold over 2,400 laughing gas balloons and 202 N2O tanks, generating over 2.5 billion VND in illegal profits.

N2O in "laughing gas" is addictive and harmful to human health, so the State prohibits its production, trade, and use. Recently, Ho Chi Minh City Police have arrested and prosecuted numerous bar and restaurant owners for serving laughing gas to patrons. Authorities say they will continue to inspect and strictly handle illegal laughing gas businesses in the city.

Quoc Thang