Jakarta: Indonesian police have dismantled a baby trafficking syndicate accused of smuggling at least 14 infants to Singapore for adoption, following the arrest of 12 individuals across several cities including Jakarta, Bandung, and Pontianak.
Authorities launched an investigation after a parent reported a suspected baby kidnapping, which led them to a suspect who admitted to trafficking 24 infants. According to West Java police, the majority of the babies were taken from biological parents in the province and transported to Pontianak, a city on Borneo island, before being smuggled across international borders.
Surawan, director of general criminal investigation for West Java police stated that, “Based on documents, 14 babies were sent to Singapore. The age range is clearly under one year old, with some just three to six months old.”
So far, six infants have been rescued, five in Pontianak and one in Tangerang, near Jakarta. Police say the suspects operated as part of a coordinated syndicate with clearly defined roles, including sourcing babies from mothers unwilling or unable to care for their children, generating registration documents, and arranging international transfers.
Infants were reportedly sold for 11 million to 16 million Indonesian Rupiah ($676 to $983) to overseas buyers. Surawan added that the group targeted financially vulnerable women, often offering money in exchange for newborns.
The operation is believed to have been active since at least 2023. Authorities uncovered that the complainant who initially reported the kidnapping had a prior agreement with the traffickers but contacted police after not receiving the promised payment.
Indonesia’s police say they will coordinate with Interpol to trace trafficked infants who may already be in Singapore.
Human trafficking remains a pressing issue in Indonesia, with previous cases revealing deep-seated exploitation. In 2022, at least 57 people were found imprisoned on a palm oil plantation in North Sumatra, highlighting the widespread reach of trafficking networks in the region.
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