Wed Jul 16 02:36:17 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Indonesian police have dismantled a human trafficking ring that smuggled over a dozen babies to Singapore for adoption, operating since 2023. The investigation began after a parent reported a baby kidnapping, leading to the arrest of 12 suspects across multiple cities. The syndicate allegedly acquired babies from parents in West Java, moved them to Borneo, and then shipped them to Singapore for fees ranging from $676 to $983. Authorities rescued six babies. The police are coordinating with Interpol to locate other trafficked infants.

**News Article:**

**Indonesia Busts Baby Trafficking Ring Smuggling Infants to Singapore**

**JAKARTA, Indonesia** – Indonesian police have arrested 12 individuals allegedly involved in a sophisticated human trafficking ring responsible for smuggling over a dozen babies to Singapore for adoption. The arrests follow an investigation sparked by a parent reporting a baby kidnapping in West Java.

Police revealed on Tuesday that the syndicate, operating since 2023, targeted vulnerable parents in West Java, acquiring infants from them. The babies were then transported to Pontianak on Borneo island before being sent to Singapore. “Based on documents, 14 babies were sent to Singapore,” stated Surawan, the police’s director of general criminal investigation. “The age range is clearly under one year old, with some three months old, five months old, and six months old.”

Authorities have rescued six babies: five in Pontianak and one in Tangerang, near Jakarta. The suspects, arrested across Jakarta, Pontianak, and Bandung, are believed to have specialized roles within the operation, including finding babies, providing care and shelter, and preparing falsified documents.

The infants were allegedly being sold for 11 to 16 million Indonesian Rupiah ($676 to $983) to prospective adoptive parents in Singapore. According to Surawan, the initial kidnapping report stemmed from a prior agreement between the parent and the traffickers, which soured when the parent wasn’t paid.

Indonesian authorities are now collaborating with Interpol to identify and locate any other trafficked infants in Singapore. The case highlights the ongoing problem of human trafficking within Indonesia, a vast archipelago with over 17,000 islands.

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