An Indonesian court has convicted 19 people over a child trafficking network that smuggled 34 babies to buyers in Indonesia and Singapore.
The operation’s alleged mastermind, a 70-year-old woman, received the longest prison sentence of seven years, while the remaining defendants were jailed for between three and six years.
Prosecutors said the syndicate illegally purchased babies in West Java and sold them for adoption across Indonesia and Singapore between 2023 and 2025. Authorities believe 12 of the 34 babies have already been taken to Singapore.
The high-profile case has once again exposed the persistent challenge of child trafficking in Indonesia, a crime often driven by vulnerable parents who are persuaded or pressured into selling their children.
