By Sodiq Oluwaremilekun

Indonesian police have arrested 13 suspects in connection with a baby trafficking ring accused of selling 24 infants to buyers in Singapore.

Authorities said 12 of the suspects were apprehended on Monday in separate operations across Pontianak in West Kalimantan and Tangerang in Banten Province, while the 13th was arrested on Tuesday at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten.

West Java Police spokesperson, Hendra Rochmawan, confirmed that the syndicate allegedly sourced most of the babies from their biological parents in West Java under false pretences, and intended to sell them for adoption in Singapore.

He revealed that investigations are ongoing, with efforts underway to track down more suspects, including possible collaborators based in Singapore.

Rochmawan added that Interpol will be engaged to assist in locating the 24 trafficked infants believed to have been smuggled out of the country.

During the crackdown, six babies were rescued — five were on the verge of being trafficked to Singapore and one to Tangerang.

The case came to light after a parent reported a suspected kidnapping, which led investigators to a suspect who later confessed to the trafficking of 24 babies.

Authorities say the operation is part of a broader effort to dismantle human trafficking networks in the region.

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