12 arrested in Indonesia for trafficking babies to Singapore

12 arrested in Indonesia for trafficking babies to Singapore
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Indonesian police have arrested 12 individuals linked to a human trafficking ring that sent more than a dozen babies to Singapore for adoption. The West Java police uncovered the operation after a parent reported an alleged baby kidnapping, which led to a suspect who admitted to trading 24 infants.

The syndicate mainly took infants from biological parents in West Java province, moving them to Pontianak city on Borneo island before sending at least 14 babies under one year old to Singapore. Authorities rescued six babies—five in Pontianak and one in Tangerang near Jakarta.

Police described the group as a trafficking syndicate with members assigned specific roles, including finding infants, caring for them, and preparing fraudulent civil registration documents such as family cards and passports. The babies were sold for between 11 million and 16 million Indonesian Rupiah (approximately $676 to $983) to buyers in Singapore.

The operation reportedly began in 2023, targeting parents or mothers who refused to care for their children in exchange for money. The parent who initially reported the kidnapping had allegedly made a prior agreement with the traffickers but reported them after not receiving payment.

Indonesian police plan to coordinate with Interpol to locate trafficked infants in Singapore. Human trafficking remains a significant issue in Indonesia, which comprises over 17,000 islands.