Indonesian police have dismantled an alleged baby trafficking ring that used social media to sell newborns in Medan after neighbours reported suspicious activity at a rented house.
Medan police chief Jean Calvijn Simanjuntak said nine people had been arrested and three others were being sought, according to a report by The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
The suspects were believed to have sold at least two babies for between 9 million and 25 million rupiah (US$530 to US$1,475) each and were preparing to sell a third when police moved in, Jean said.
“The suspects marketed babies through Facebook groups and TikTok. The syndicate operated with a well-organised structure,” he said.
Neighbours alerted police after seeing numerous pregnant women coming and going from the rented house on Jalan Pintu Air IV and feared one woman was being held against her will.
When officers raided the house, however, they found the woman was waiting to give birth and planned to sell her baby, police said.
Jean Calvijn Simanjuntak, Ministry of Home Affairs, North Sumatra, Singapore, Aceh, TikTok, Pekanbaru, Facebook groups, Jalan Pintu Air IV, Malaysia, Baby trafficking, Medan, Indonesian National Police, Indonesia's Interpol bureau, Ministry of Social and Family Development#Indonesia #police #arrest #Medan #baby #trafficking #case #linked #social #media1768995705
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