Nineteen individuals have been convicted for their involvement in a baby trafficking scheme. Eighteen women and one man were found guilty in Indonesia for selling children under the guise of adoption in Indonesia and Singapore.
The trafficking of at least 34 babies took place between 2022 and 2025, with some infants being transported to Singapore and sold for substantial amounts. The Bandung City District Court in Indonesia revealed these details during the trial.
The investigation into the baby trafficking operation commenced in 2025 after a father reported that his newborn had been taken without consent. This led to the exposure of an organized network operating across West Java.
Authorities stated that the babies were sourced from various locations within the province, then transferred to Depok and later to Pontianak, where they were held before being flown to Singapore via Jakarta.
The defendants have received jail terms of up to seven years. The mastermind, Lie Siu Luan, also known as Lily, was sentenced to seven years for orchestrating the operation and recruiting others. Two other key figures, Astri Fitrinika and Djaka Hamdani, were each given six years and seven months for their roles in baby recruitment.
Lai Siu Ha, who aided the group by forging documents to conceal the babies’ origins, received a sentence of six years and seven months. Similarly, Elin Marlina was sentenced for her involvement in recruiting babies.
Fourteen other defendants received sentences ranging from three years to four months for their lesser roles in the operation, including five individuals who falsely posed as parents to potential adopters.
The rescued babies have been placed under the care of the West Java social service agency by court order. The fate of the children adopted in Singapore remains uncertain, as authorities could not identify the adoption agents in Singapore.
A couple in Singapore, David and Ally, who unknowingly adopted one of the trafficked babies, expressed concern about the child’s future. They hope for a resolution to provide their son with certainty and security after a year of fear and uncertainty.
