Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Yogyakarta Regional Police (Polda DIY) has arrested two midwives suspected of human trafficking in a baby-selling syndicate. The suspects, identified as JE (44) and DM (77), allegedly operated the scheme in Yogyakarta since 2010, with a total of 66 babies sold by 2024.
The Director of General Criminal Investigation at the Yogyakarta Regional Police (Polda DIY), Commissioner FX Endriadi, said during a press conference in Sleman, Yogyakarta, on Thursday, December 12, 2024, that the case was uncovered after police received a report about baby trafficking at a maternity clinic in Tegalrejo, Yogyakarta City. Following an investigation, police arrested the two suspects in the Tegalrejo District on Wednesday, December 4, as reported by Detikjogja.
In a written statement signed by Yogyakarta Police spokesperson Commissioner Nugroho Arianto, it was revealed that the suspect DM was a midwife and the owner of the maternity clinic, while JE, a resident of Sleman, worked as a midwife at DM’s clinic.
During the arrest, police secured a 1.5-month-old baby girl who was about to be sold.
Endriadi revealed that investigations showed the suspects had been selling babies since 2010, with the infants trafficked to various regions across Indonesia.
“Based on the suspects’ activities, we have identified a total of 66 babies — 28 boys, 36 girls, and two infants with unspecified genders,” Endriadi stated.
According to a written release from the Yogyakarta Police, documents recovered from the maternity clinic indicated that the babies were sold both within Yogyakarta and to other regions, including Surabaya, Bali, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), and Papua.
Child Trafficking Scheme
Commissioner FX Endriadi explained that the suspects’ services for baby care had become widely known, making it easy for them to target potential clients.
“Their clinic or practice had gained a reputation for accepting and caring for babies. Couples who were unable or unwilling to care for their infants would approach the clinic and leave their children to be looked after,” Endriadi said.
The suspects reportedly received or took custody of babies from mothers who surrendered their infants. The children were then cared for while the suspects advertised through various channels to find adoptive parents.
The babies were sold to individuals or couples interested in adoption. Endriadi revealed that the prices varied, with baby boys sold at higher rates than girls.
“According to the most recent data we obtained, baby girls were priced at approximately Rp55 million ($3,500), while baby boys ranged from Rp60 million to Rp65 million, with the highest recorded sale reaching 85 million rupiah ($5,400),” he said.
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Deputy Director of the Yogyakarta Police Criminal Investigation Unit, AKBP K Tri Panungko, revealed that the baby sales occurred with the biological parents’ knowledge. “The parents willingly intended to sell their babies, but they used these midwives as intermediaries since the suspects had an established network,” Tri explained.
Both midwives have been formally named suspects and taken into custody. JE and DM are being charged under Articles 83 and 76F of Indonesia’s Child Protection Law, which carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to Rp300 million (approximately $19,000).
(Raidi/Agung)
