Adopter Arrested After Buying Child from Suspected Human Trafficking Mother in Makassar

A woman with the initials NL was arrested by police for buying or adopting a child suspected to be a victim of trafficking. NL was apprehended by the Subdirectorate for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons (PPO) of the South Sulawesi Police (Polda Sulsel) in Jeneponto Regency, South Sulawesi.

According to detikSulsel on Saturday (28/3/2026), police had previously announced the arrest of a woman with the initials ML (previously referred to as MT) in a suspected child-selling case in Makassar City. ML was reported to the police by her own husband, Anto, after being caught selling their child.

“Currently, the detained individuals are still listed as suspects, namely ML and NL. ML is the wife of the complainant, while NL is the adopter or the party who adopted the child,” said the Director of the Criminal Investigation for the Protection of Women and Children/Trafficking in Persons (PPA and PPO) of Polda Sulsel, Senior Commissioner Osva, to reporters on Friday (27/3).

Regarding NL, the woman was arrested on Thursday (26/3). Police also secured a child with the initials AZ who had been sold to NL in the Jeneponto area.

For context, the suspect ML handed over her child with the initials CHY (10 years old) to be adopted by NL in exchange for Rp 4 million in cash on Saturday (10/1). However, NL returned the child and requested her money back on Monday (19/1).

Unable to return the money, ML offered a 2-month-old baby with the initials AZ as a replacement.