Indonesian police recently broke up a baby trafficking ring operating in Depok, West Java. The syndicate was involved in buying newborns from parents through Facebook and then reselling them in Bali at a higher price. The operations of this group came to light following a public tip-off, leading to the arrest of eight people connected to the ring.
The trafficking network would contact parents through Facebook who were interested in selling their newborns. The babies were advertised on the social media platform with prices ranging from 10 to 15 million rupiah each. Subsequently, the infants would be taken to Bali by the traffickers, where they were sold for as much as 45 million rupiah.
During a press conference, Depok police chief Arya Perdana disclosed that two infants, a boy, and a girl, were rescued before they could be taken to Bali for sale. He revealed that the group had already conducted five transactions in Bali and even had a pre-order system in place where babies were reserved for buyers even before they were born.
The organized nature of the syndicate was highlighted by Mr. Arya, who shared that they had targeted foreign nationals as potential buyers. This meant that if a foreigner wanted to purchase a baby, the group would facilitate the transaction. The police arrested eight individuals, ranging in age from 22 to 41, involved in different roles like scouting, transporting, selling, and managing the transactions.
The suspects’ activities were detailed by the police, who identified them by their initials and ages. The roles varied from scouting and transport to financial support, with some parents also being involved in selling their children. The arrested individuals remain in custody, facing charges related to human trafficking and violating child protection laws.
The maximum penalty for human trafficking under Indonesian law is 15 years in jail and a fine of 600 million rupiah, while those found guilty of violating child protection laws may face up to 15 years in jail and a fine of 300 million rupiah. The authorities are also expanding their investigations as there are concerns that the syndicate’s activities may extend beyond Bali.
While the current focus is on uncovering the group’s operations within Bali, the police are aware that organized international crime can happen anywhere. Mr. Arya emphasized that such criminal activities can involve perpetrators from various locations, underscoring the need for continued vigilance and enforcement to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable children.
