An Indonesian court has convicted 19 people accused of running a baby trafficking network that allegedly bought and sold dozens of infants for illegal adoption, including in Singapore, in a case that has drawn attention to child trafficking across the region.
The defendants, 18 women and one man, were found guilty of their roles in a syndicate that prosecutors said trafficked at least 34 babies between 2023 and 2025. They have been on trial since April this year.
Lie Siu Luan, identified by prosecutors as the leader of the baby trafficking network, was sentenced to seven years in prison. She was accused of recruiting members of the syndicate and overseeing its operations. The sentence is shorter than the 10 years prosecutors had requested.
Five women, who acted as caregivers to the trafficked babies, have each been sentenced to three years and four months in prison.
The court sentenced one of the main figures in the syndicate, Lai Siu Ha, to six years and seven months in prison. Two women who acted as brokers were sentenced to three years and four months in prison. Another woman who had also served as a caregiver was sentenced to three years and four months in prison.
The only man in the syndicate was given six and a half years in prison.
Prosecutors alleged that another defendant, Astri Fitrinika, sourced most of the babies, while Lai Siu Ha was responsible for creating fake documents. Fitrinika was sentenced to six years and seven months in prison after being identified as the main broker. Lai Siu Ha, one of the main document forgers, is reportedly appealing the sentence.
Others acted as brokers, looked after the infants or pretended to be their biological mothers during paperwork and video calls with prospective adoptive parents.
The case first came to light in 2025 after the father of a newborn reported that his son had been taken without his consent. The complaint led investigators to uncover what they said was an organised network operating across West Java.
During the trial, one of the main accused acknowledged arranging adoptions for at least four contacts in Singapore, saying she was promised a minimum of about $14,000 or £10,300 for each baby.
She told the court she believed the overseas adoptions were legitimate and said a Singapore-based associate had convinced her that the process was legal.
Authorities believe the babies were collected from different parts of the province before being taken to Depok and later to Pontianak, where they were cared for before some were flown to Singapore through Jakarta.
Indonesian investigators say at least 20 babies were intended for adoption in Singapore, with 12 believed to have already entered the country.
What happens now to the babies trafficked in the case remains uncertain, with authorities yet to decide whether those in Singapore will stay with their adoptive families or be returned to Indonesia.
One of the couples that adopted a child from Indonesia told the BBC that their child was believed to be among the babies trafficked by the West Java syndicate. On Tuesday, after the verdict, the father said his focus was not on the punishment of those convicted, but on the uncertainty surrounding his son’s future.
“I sincerely hope that both authorities can come to a decision based on the best interests of the child,” he said. “We respectfully ask that, in making this decision, consideration be given to the fact that both our son and our family are victims of the circumstances surrounding this case.
“Our only wish is to live a normal family life, like any other couple hoping to raise a child in a safe, stable, and loving home. We hope that this matter can now be brought to a resolution so that our son can move forward with certainty and security.
“Since the case is concluded, how can we move on and what will happen to our son? It’s been almost a year of fear and anxiety of waiting.”
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