Ho Chi Minh City tightens oversight of service businesses to curb prostitution, online sex trade

Under the plan approved by the municipal People’s Committee, the local health department will lead implementation of the commitments and coordinate inspections with local administrations and other agencies.

Ward- and commune-level authorities will be held accountable for detecting and stopping violations at service establishments.

The move comes after inspections of 1,647 businesses uncovered 297 administrative violations, resulting in fines totaling more than VN3.4 billion (US$130,000), according to the health department.

Authorities also said joint operations with police dismantled 107 prostitution-related cases at service venues, involving 664 people, with 165 cases referred for criminal prosecution, including charges of harboring and brokering prostitution.

Officials warned that prostitution-related crime has grown more complex in 2025, shifting from small-scale activity to organized networks operating across localities and increasingly using online platforms such as social media and encrypted messaging apps.