Police in Indonesia recently stopped six babies from being trafficked to overseas buyers in Singapore.  Authorities found the traffickers are part of an international baby trafficking syndicate operating in Asia.  

Reserved while still in the womb 

Women in desperate situations—that’s who the trafficking syndicate was targeting for its nefarious work. Abortion is illegal in Indonesia except under narrow circumstances. That can leave mothers with unwanted pregnancies in extremely desperate circumstances. According to law enforcement, the recently uncovered syndicate specifically targeted expectant mothers they thought didn’t want to raise their child.

Ai Rahmayanti, commissioner of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) told The BBC, 

“(the mothers) became pregnant due to sexual violence, abandonment by the husband, or unwanted pregnancies from casual relationships” 

The women were struggling financially and desperate for help. That’s when traffickers, whose job it was to find expectant mothers in crisis, swooped in.  

West Java Police’s director of general criminal investigation, Surawan explained the process, saying, 

“Some babies were even reserved while still in the womb, and once born, the delivery costs were covered, then compensation money was given, and the baby was taken.”  

After those tasked with identifying and tracking down desperate mothers had picked up the baby, they left them for a few months with “caretakers.” The babies were eventually moved to an Indonesian city while the syndicate arranged fake immigration documents. Then they were sent on to Singapore to the buyers. 

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