Huynh Van Luc (left) and seven others are arrested on charges of trading prohibited goods. Photo by Ho Chi Minh City Police Department.
Ho Chi Minh City police announced the arrest and prosecution of Huynh Van Luc, 20, along with seven others, on charges of trading prohibited goods on July 31.
Luc is the owner of S Pub, located at 25-27-29 Bui Vien Street in Ben Thanh Ward, District 1.
According to police reports, during an administrative inspection at around 1 pm on July 11, officers discovered that S Pub was illegally selling nitrous oxide to customers. Hundreds of gas canisters, rubber balloons, specialised transferring equipment, and other materials used for serving laughing gas on site were seized.
Hundreds of gas canisters, specialised transferring equipment, and other materials used for serving laughing gas on site are seized at S Pub on July 11.
Investigators revealed that S Pub had operated as a food and music venue since May 2022. However, facing limited profits, Luc and his associates shifted in September 2024 to a more lucrative but illegal business model, offering customers nitrous oxide in balloons to inhale while listening to music and drinking alcohol for a euphoric high.
To evade detection, staff were instructed to record balloon sales on customer receipts under the names Cocktail BL or Combo Cocktail BL.
Luc reportedly assigned specific roles to staff members, who handled the gas refilling, delivery, customer service, and revenue recording in a professional manner.
Police estimate that between September 2024 and the present, the group generated illicit profits totalling hundreds of billions of dong.
Ho Chi Minh City’s Criminal Police Division is continuing its investigation and pursuing other individuals suspected of involvement in the illegal supply network.