Indonesia: Police bust trafficking syndicate sending babies to Singapore

Police uncover an international baby trafficking syndicate which sold at least 25 infants in Singapore.

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Authorities made 13 arrests related to the syndicate in the Indonesian cities of Pontianak and Tangerang this week, and rescued six babies who were about to be trafficked – all of whom are around a year old.

"The babies were first housed in Pontianak and had their immigration documents arranged before being sent to Singapore," West Java Police's director of general criminal investigation, Surawan, told BBC News Indonesia.

BBC News has contacted Singapore Police and Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs for comment, but received no response.

The syndicate's alleged modus operandi was to target parents or expectant mothers who allegedly did not want to raise their child - in some cases initiating contact via Facebook before pivoting to more private channels such as WhatsApp, according to police.