Latest news with #WestJavaPolice
UPI
18-07-2025
- UPI
13 people arrested in Indonesia on suspicion of trafficking babies
A man and 12 women allegedly involved in smuggling babies-to-order were under arrest in Indonesia on Friday after police moved to shut down a transnational human trafficking operation. File Photo by Mast Irham/EPA-EFE July 18 (UPI) -- Indonesian police said Friday that they have broken up a baby-to-order human trafficking ring in West Java that allegedly sold infants for which its members paid as little as $600. All but one of the 13 suspects detained were women. As many as 25 babies were produced to order and sold to clients, some of them overseas, since the gang began operating in 2023, with police saying in a post on X that they were hunting for three other suspects who remained at large. West Java police told the BBC they had rescued six babies, all aged about 12 months, who were about to be trafficked from two locations near Jakarta and in West Kalimantan. Babies were purchased while still in the womb from biological mothers who had been recruited by the gang and trafficked via a network of main agents, caregivers, intermediaries and forgery specialists who created fake birth certificates, family ID cards and passports. Each suspect performed a specific role in the criminal enterprise, police said. "Within this network, newborn babies were handed over to intermediaries who were paid between $614 to $978 per baby. The funds were then distributed by suspect A to the biological mother and other perpetrators. Afterward, the babies were cared for by a caregiver named YN, who received a salary of $153 plus an additional $61.41 for the babies' needs," a statement said. Babies aged 2 to 3 months were then sent to Jakarta and subsequently trafficked across the Sea of Java to Pontianak on the island of Borneo "for further processing by other suspects," according to police. Once in Pontainak, a suspect police identified only as "AHA" falsified key documents and recruited "fake parents," who were paid $400 to include babies' identities in their family cards. With all the required paperwork and documents in place, were illegally adopted and sent abroad, mostly to Singapore. West Java Police's director of general criminal investigation, Surawan, said babies' nationalities had been switched and that they were urgently trying to track down their passports so that they could find the adoptive "parents" in Singapore and have them arrested. "We will cross-check the data with the babies who departed, so we know exactly who departed, who accompanied them, when they departed, and who the adopters there are," he said. Surawan said their investigation indicated that biological parents handed over their children in return for payment, often because they lacked the financial wherewithal to raise them, but some were "reserved while still in the womb." Parents could also face child protection and human trafficking offenses if it were proved they had made an agreement with the trafficking gang. West Java is one of the poorest regions of Indonesia, with government figures showing more than 3.6 million people living below the poverty line. Bandung city deputy mayor Erwin, called for tight monitoring by hospital maternity units of mothers immediately after giving birth. "Security officers must be more vigilant. Procedures for naming babies, assigning identification tags, and monitoring people entering and leaving must also be reviewed," said Erwin. However, child protection authorities warned that an abortion ban and conservative social values in the predominantly Muslim nation meant women in desperate straits were easy prey for trafficking gangs. Indonesian Child Protection Commissioner Ai Rahmayanti said women made pregnant through rape, having suffered a relationship breakup, or simply with an unwanted pregnancy were at risk. Police stressed the investigation was ongoing, and that they believed the trafficking operation was likely much more extensive than what they had uncovered to date.
ABC News
17-07-2025
- ABC News
Indonesian police bust baby-trafficking syndicate that allegedly sold at least 24 infants
Indonesia's police have arrested 13 suspects after uncovering an alleged baby-trafficking syndicate in West Kalimantan, on Borneo island. The ring, which had operated since 2023, sold 24 babies, including 15 to customers in Singapore, police in West Java province said. They said six babies, aged between two and six months, were also rescued during the sting and were being cared for in a hospital in Bandung, the province's capital. Five of the six infants rescued were about to be sold in Singapore through Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan province, police said. The exact number of babies allegedly taken by the syndicate remains unknown. Commissioner Hendra Rochmawan from West Java Police said the arrested suspects allegedly played "various roles" in the baby-trafficking syndicate. All but one of the arrested suspects were female. According to police, the investigation began after a parent reported that their baby was kidnapped. But it was later discovered the parents had agreed to sell the baby, but were not paid. "One of the parents planned to sell the baby, but because they were not paid, the other parent reported it as a kidnapping," Commissioner Surawan told CNN Indonesia. The majority of the babies were from Bandung but were transported to Pontianak, where police found fake identity documents. "That's where the babies were added to other people's family cards, and then other documents were created, including passports," Commissioner Surawan added. Police said the alleged offenders bought babies directly from mothers for amounts between 11 million and 16 million rupiah ($1,000 to $1,500). Police also found that parents who wanted to give up their babies were offered compensation, which included the cost of childbirth. Last year, an Indonesian man was charged after allegedly selling his child on Facebook for less than $1,500. Police found the father to be financially motivated because he was involved in online gambling. Most of the babies discovered in the recent sting were from West Java, the province with the second-highest poverty rate in Indonesia. According to data from the National Socio-Economic Survey released early this year, an estimated 3.67 million people in West Java lived below the poverty line. The deputy mayor of Bandung city urged hospitals to "strictly monitor" mothers who had just given birth. "Security officers must be more vigilant. Procedures for naming babies, assigning identification tags, and monitoring people entering and leaving must also be reviewed," said Deputy Mayor Erwin, who goes by one name. There was no official data on the number of babies and kids being sold in Indonesia, but the Child Protection Commission told the ABC that reports and complaints related to child exploitation and trafficking had increased. The commission also said that a lack of economic subsidies for struggling families and information about legal adoption contributed to baby trafficking in Indonesia. The commission urged the Indonesian government to provide more financial assistance for raising children and childbirth, which can be cost-prohibitive for some parents. The Indonesian police said they would liaise with Interpol to track down the babies who were sold in Singapore.
The Print
16-07-2025
- The Print
Indonesian authorities bust baby trafficking ring; 5 of 6 infants were to be sold in Singapore
Twelve people have been named suspects in the alleged human trafficking case and were arrested, said the report citing Hendra Rochmawan, head of public relations for West Java Police. It is unclear when they were arrested. Singapore: Six infants, five of whom were allegedly intended to be sold to buyers in Singapore, have been rescued by authorities in Indonesia after they busted a baby trafficking ring and arrested 12 people, Channel News Asia reported on Tuesday. Of the 24 infants that have already been sold, 15 were taken to Singapore, Director of General Crime Investigation of West Java Police Department, Surawan, said. He added that of the six babies rescued, five were ready to be sent to buyers in Singapore, while one was to be sent to Pontianak, another region in Indonesian archipelago. He had earlier told local media that the six rescued babies were two to three months old. 'According to the suspects' statements, the babies were to be adopted in Singapore but we are still investigating this further,' Surawan was quoted as saying by news outlet CNN Indonesia. He said the 12 suspects held different roles in the syndicate, including acting as initial recruiters to being caregivers to the babies as well as couriers who delivered the infants to the clients' intended locations that include Singapore, local media Kompas reported. Authorities in Indonesia said the 12 suspects are undergoing interrogation for further investigations. 'We did not only detain the suspects, we also seized some evidence such as (fake) identity cards, passports and other documents identifying the victims,' local media quoted Hendra as saying. Meanwhile, Surawan also confirmed that the babies were intended to be transported to Singapore. 'Through the suspects, we managed to rescue five babies in Pontianak that were supposed to be sent to Singapore and already had the necessary documents. We also rescued another baby in Tangerang (a city in Banten province of Indonesia) a few days ago,' Surawan said. According to Surawan, the six infants rescued were sent to Bhayangkara Sartika Asih Hospital in Bandung (Capital of West Jawa) for medical treatment. 'The plan is for all victims to be placed in the shelter of the West Java Social Service,' said Surawan, as quoted by Kompas. He said the baby trafficking syndicate came to light after a parent made a report that his child had been kidnapped by an unknown person. 'Most of the cases originate from West Java. The case started from a report made by a parent whose child was kidnapped and we developed the case based on the suspects in West Java,' Surawan was quoted as saying by CNN Indonesia. Based on interrogations of the suspects, the police found that each baby successfully transported to Singapore was sold for about tens of millions of (Indonesian) rupiah. 'The babies were bought from the biological mothers for about 11 million to 16 million rupiah,' Surawan said in another interview on Tuesday, as quoted by CNN Indonesia. He said the suspects had obtained some of the babies from parents who voluntarily gave them up while others were allegedly kidnapped. This is not the first time a baby smuggling ring to Singapore from Indonesia has been busted. In 2016, Indonesian authorities arrested three suspects in Batam for allegedly planning to sell a three-month-old baby boy to Singapore for about USD 8,000, according to the media reports. According to the Singapore Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), couples seeking to adopt must be both permanent residents (PRs), or at least one of the partners should be a Singapore citizen. Those who would like to adopt a child as a sole applicant must either be a citizen or a PR. When it comes to adopting a foreign child in Singapore, an applicant will need a dependent's pass to bring the child into Singapore, according to the website of Singapore Family Lawyers, a law firm based in Singapore. The dependant's pass allows the child to remain in Singapore until the completion of the adoption process. To get the pass, the applicant must submit the child's identity documents and notarised consent from the child's birth parents or legal guardian. The notarised consent means that the birth parents or legal guardian, upon the issuance of the adoption order, has given up all their duties, rights and obligations to the child, as reported by the Channel News Asia. In some cases, the adoptive parents may also be required to go to the child's home country and comply with that country's requirements before the MSF will issue the dependent's pass. Once the pass is granted, the applicant can proceed to file for adoption through the Family Court. A Home Study Report is also necessary for anyone wanting to adopt a foreign child, or a child in MSF's care. This report will verify whether the applicant is a suitable parent to adopt and raise a child. Each report is valid for one adoption and lasts two years, according to the Singapore Channel. PTI GS DIV DIV This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. Also Read: Quashing bail in UP child trafficking case, why SC issued a firm reminder to all states & high courts
CNA
15-07-2025
- CNA
6 babies rescued as Indonesia busts trafficking ring, 5 bound for buyers in Singapore: Reports
SINGAPORE: Six infants, with five allegedly intended to be sold to buyers in Singapore, have been rescued by local authorities in Indonesia after they busted a baby-trafficking ring that has reportedly carried out 24 such deals since 2023. And of the 24 infants that have already been sold, 15 were taken to Singapore, Director of General Crime Investigation of West Java Police Department Surawan told CNA when contacted. He added that of the six babies rescued, five were ready to be sent to buyers in Singapore, while one was to be sent to Pontianak. He had earlier told local media that the six rescued babies were aged between two to three months old. 'According to the suspects' statements, the babies were to be adopted in Singapore but we are still investigating this further,' Surawan was quoted as saying by news outlet CNN Indonesia. Twelve people have been named suspects in the alleged human trafficking case and were arrested, Hendra Rochmawan, head of public relations for West Java Police, told local media on Monday. It is unclear when they were arrested. He said the 12 suspects held different roles in the syndicate, including acting as initial recruiters to being caregivers to the babies as well as couriers who deliver the infants to the clients' intended locations that include Singapore, local media Kompas reported. CNA has reached out to Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs and Singapore Police Force for comments. INVESTIGATIONS ONGOING Authorities in Indonesia say the 12 suspects are undergoing interrogation for further investigations. 'We did not only detain the suspects, we also seized some evidence such as (fake) identity cards, passports and other documents identifying the victims,' Hendra was quoted as saying by local media. Meanwhile, Surawan also confirmed that the babies were intended to be transported to Singapore. 'Through the suspects, we managed to rescue five babies in Pontianak that were supposed to be sent to Singapore and already had the necessary documents. We also rescued another baby in Tangerang a few days ago,' Surawan said. He added: 'We are still investigating the babies that are already in Singapore and will coordinate with the Interpol to pursue this case further.' According to Surawan, the six infants rescued were sent to Bhayangkara Sartika Asih Hospital in Bandung for medical treatment. 'The plan is for all victims to be placed in the shelter of the West Java Social Service,' said Surawan, as quoted by Kompas. He said that the baby trafficking syndicate came to light after a parent made a report that his child had been kidnapped by an unknown person. 'Most of the cases originate from West Java. The case started from a report made by a parent whose child was kidnapped and we developed the case based on the suspects in West Java,' Surawan was quoted as saying by CNN Indonesia. Based on interrogations of the suspects, the police found that each baby successfully transported to Singapore was sold for the price of about tens of millions of rupiah per baby. 'The babies were bought from the biological mothers for about 11 million to 16 million rupiah,' said Surawan in another interview on Tuesday, as quoted by CNN Indonesia. Surawan added that the suspects had obtained some of the babies from parents who voluntarily gave them up while others were allegedly kidnapped. This is not the first time a baby smuggling ring to Singapore from Indonesia was reported. In 2016, Indonesian authorities arrested three suspects in Batam for allegedly planning to sell a three-month-old baby boy to Singapore for about US$8,000.
