Ngawi Police Criminal Investigation Unit officers arrested a baby trafficking syndicate operating in several areas in East Java and arrested four suspects.
"The five suspects are now being held at the Ngawi Police Headquarters for further legal proceedings. So far, 10 babies have become victims in the East Java and Jakarta areas," said Ngawi Police Chief AKBP Charles Pandapotan Tampubolon while holding a press release in Ngawi, Saturday.
The four suspects who were arrested included ZM (34), a man from Pasuruan, SA (35), a woman from Balong Ponorogo who is suspected of being the mastermind behind the crime, R (32), a woman from Pasuruan, and SEB (22), a woman from Bringin Ngawi.
Charles explained that the disclosure of the case began with the suspicion of village officials in Bringin District over the efforts of the perpetrators ZM and R who wanted to adopt one of the babies in the area. The suspicion was because all the birth certificate files had been prepared by the two perpetrators.
Feeling that something was odd, the village officials reported it to the police and investigated the case further until they finally discovered the practice of buying and selling babies.
Based on the suspect's examination, the mode of the case was to approach the parents of a newborn baby. Especially from underprivileged families. Furthermore, to the baby's parents, the suspect replaced the cost of the delivery process of Rp6 million.
"Then, the baby was taken and handed over to the person who ordered it from Jakarta, asking for a reward of Rp. 15 million," said Charles.
