**Authorities Unravel International Baby Trafficking Ring in Indonesia**

**An international baby trafficking scheme has been exposed in Indonesia, revealing a network that reportedly sold at least 25 infants to buyers in Singapore since 2023, prompting urgent police action.**

Indonesian police have made significant breakthroughs in a disturbing international baby trafficking ring that has reportedly sold at least 25 infants to customers in Singapore since the beginning of 2023. Recent operations led to the arrest of 13 individuals in the cities of Pontianak and Tangerang, while six infants were successfully rescued, all approximately one year old.

According to Surawan, the director of general criminal investigation for West Java Police, the babies were initially kept in Pontianak, where their immigration documentation was arranged before being sent abroad. “Some babies were even reserved while still in the womb,” Surawan told BBC News Indonesia. The traffickers targeted expectant mothers or parents unwilling to raise their children, reaching out through social media platforms such as Facebook and transitioning to more private communication channels like WhatsApp.

After delivery, the traffickers provided financial compensation to the biological mothers before claiming the children. They had a well-organized structure, including recruiters to find infants to traffick, caretakers to look after the babies, and individuals who forged legal documents such as birth certificates and passports. The babies, sold at prices between 11 million and 16 million Indonesian rupiah (approximately $673 to $1,034), were initially placed in care for two to three months before being transported to Jakarta and Pontianak for documentation.

Law enforcement is currently focused on identifying the buyers in Singapore. “Our immediate task is to find the adopters in Singapore,” Surawan stated, emphasizing the need to cross-verify data against the infants who bore the false documents. Authorities suspect that at least some parents may have agreed to sell their children due to financial troubles.

As the investigation unfolds, police in Indonesia have reached out to Interpol and Singaporean authorities to continue pursuing syndicate members who may still be abroad. They intend to list these individuals as wanted and issue a red notice to encourage international cooperation in their apprehension.

According to Ai Rahmayanti from the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), trafficking rings often prey on vulnerable women facing dire circumstances, such as unwanted pregnancies due to sexual violence or abandonment. The harsh reality is heightened by Indonesia's restrictive abortion laws, pushing many to agree to the illegal adoption of their children.

Child trafficking syndicates often masquerade as maternity clinics or shelters to exploit women’s vulnerabilities. “These clinics use compassionate-sounding language,” said Rahmayanti. Although no official statistics track the exact number of infants sold in Indonesia, KPAI has noted a worrying increase in trafficking cases, with 59 instances of illegal adoption-related child abduction reported in 2023 alone.

Despite the ongoing difficulties, authorities remain vigilant with recent operations uncovering babies for sale in locations including Depok and Bali, prompting urgent calls for action to combat this pressing issue.