Indonesian police have arrested 12 people in connection with a baby trafficking ring that smuggled at least 14 infants to Singapore, officials said on Tuesday.
The operation came to light after a parent reported an alleged baby kidnapping to authorities. The report led police to a suspect who admitted to trading 24 infants.
According to West Java police’s director of general criminal investigation, Surawan, the babies were first moved to Pontianak, a city on Borneo island, before being sent abroad.
“Based on documents, 14 babies were sent to Singapore,” Surawan said. “They were all under the age of one, some just three to six months old.”
Authorities rescued five infants in Pontianak and one in Tangerang, near Jakarta. The suspects were arrested in coordinated operations across Jakarta, Pontianak, and Bandung.
Police described the group as a well-organized syndicate in operation since 2023, with members assigned specific roles such as locating vulnerable mothers, caring for the babies, and preparing forged documents including family cards and passports.
Investigations revealed that the group targeted mothers unwilling or unable to care for their children, offering them money in exchange.
However, the case unravelled when a parent, who had allegedly made such an agreement, reported the traffickers after not receiving payment.
Human trafficking remains a major issue in Indonesia, a country of over 17,000 islands. One of the most harrowing cases occurred in 2022 when 57 people were found imprisoned on a palm oil plantation in North Sumatra.
Police say investigations into the baby trafficking network are ongoing.
Written By Rodney Mbua
