Crime Baby Trafficking Horror: 13 Arrested in International Scandal

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Picture courtesy of West Java Police via BBC

 

Indonesian police have busted a disturbing baby trafficking ring, selling at least 25 infants to buyers in Singapore since 2023. A sweep in Pontianak and Tangerang led to 13 arrests and the rescue of six babies poised for illegal sale, all approximately a year old.

 

"We housed the babies in Pontianak, managed their documents, then sent them off to Singapore," revealed Surawan, West Java Police's criminal investigation director. Singaporean authorities are yet to comment on the situation.

 

The syndicate targeted parents not wishing to raise their children, often contacting them via Facebook before moving to WhatsApp. "Some babies were even reserved while in the womb," said Surawan, highlighting the chilling efficiency of the operation.

 

The group included recruiters, caretakers, and document forgers. Babies were kept for months before documentation was prepared in Pontianak. They fetched between 11 million and 16 million rupiahs, with at least 12 male and 13 female infants affected.

 

Police in Indonesia are now hunting adopters in Singapore and verifying details about the handovers. Most babies changed nationality, complicating efforts to trace their whereabouts.

 

Urawan noted that the victims of the syndrome were involved through agreements rather than kidnappings, which were often driven by financial need. Parents forming such agreements face charges of child protection and trafficking crimes.

 

Interpol and Singaporean police have been asked to help find international syndicate members and buyers. "We will issue a red notice," stated Surawan, aiming to arrest culprits across borders.

 

The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) states that women often become victims due to dire circumstances, such as unplanned pregnancies or marital abandonment. Abortion is largely illegal in Indonesia, pushing vulnerable women towards these traffickers.

 

Traffickers disguise themselves as benevolent clinics, but they ultimately offer money in exchange for illegally seizing children. Prices for infants vary by region, with KPAI recording escalating trafficking cases over recent years.

 

Despite the absence of official figures, KPAI warns that child trafficking is a growing menace, with recent cases emerging in Depok and Bali. This twisted market assigns value based on location and appearance, revealing the grim realities underlying this trade.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from BBC 2025-07-22