Inp.polri.go.id - Bandung.  The West Java Regional Police have announced that the number of babies trafficked by a suspected human trafficking syndicate has risen to 43, with 17 already sent to Singapore through an illegal international adoption network.

"Based on available data, 17 babies were sent to Singapore and eight were rescued from the network," said West Java Police Criminal Investigation Director, Senior Superintendent Surawan, on Thursday (7/8/2025), as reported by antaranews.com.

Police investigations show the syndicate trafficked babies for both international and local adoptions. In the local network, 13 babies came from a suspect identified as Astri and were handed to another suspect, identified as  Jek, with prices ranging from Rp 10 million to Rp 15 million each.

So far, 20 suspects have been arrested, while six remain at large. Two fugitives are in West Java, and four in Pontianak, allegedly posing as mothers to deliver babies abroad. One baby reportedly died in Pontianak from illness while under such care.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)