Ho chi minh city, Vietnam: Police in Ho Chi Minh City have dismantled a large-scale illegal cosmetic surgery operation, arresting three people for allegedly running an unlicensed beauty clinic that scammed hundreds of clients. The owner, 32-year-old Nguyen Thi Huong, was taken into custody for operating the clinic, named "Ho.pital SW," without any medical permits.
The facility is accused of performing illegal liposuction on over 500 clients this year alone, accumulating nearly VND10 billion (US$380,000) in illicit profits.
The investigation revealed a sophisticated deception designed to lure in unsuspecting customers. Huong's accomplice, Nguyen Minh Khai, who possessed no surgical license or medical qualifications, allegedly posed as a doctor and personally carried out the dangerous fat-removal procedures. Meanwhile, a third accomplice, Duong Tan Long, handled the marketing, creating fake advertisements featuring "expert surgeons" and paying decoys to post positive reviews and testimonials on social media to build a false sense of trust and legitimacy.
With the three main suspects in custody for deceiving customers, authorities are now trying to understand the full scope of the fraud. Police have issued a public call for anyone who was a client or underwent liposuction at the "Ho.pital SW" clinic on Cao Thang Street to come forward and file a complaint to aid in the ongoing investigation.
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