Baby-selling ring disguised as adoptions uncovered on Facebook and TikTok

Police have uncovered a case of baby-selling through social media. The baby-selling case was disguised as adoptions.

Deputy Head of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim), Irjen Nunung Syaifudin, said that this case was uncovered by the Directorate of Special Crimes against Women and Children (PPA) and the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation (PPO) of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit. There are 12 people who have been named as suspects in this case of human trafficking (TPPO) involving the sale of babies.

Nunung said that the disclosure of this syndicate was a development of the case of the kidnapping of a toddler, Bilqis (4), in Makassar some time ago. Nunung said that his party collaborated with the Densus 88 Anti-Terror Unit of the National Police to uncover the baby trafficking network that operates across regions in Indonesia.

“The disclosure of this case is the result of a development of the previous kidnapping case in Makassar. If we still remember, it was about baby Bilqis,” said Nunung in a press conference at the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit, South Jakarta, Wednesday (25/2/2026).

In addition to naming 12 suspects, the Police also rescued seven babies who were victims. He said that this case involves lives, so it cannot be calculated based on the number of victims rescued.

“So on December 3, 2025, the investigators had successfully named 12 suspects, including evidence, and rescued seven babies who were victims. These seven babies are not a small number because this is about lives, so it is a special focus for our leadership to be able to uncover this case as widely and clearly as possible,” he said.

Head of the Directorate of Special Crimes against Women and Children (PPA) and the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation (PPO), Brigjen Nurul Azizah, explained that the dozens of suspects consist of two clusters. The first cluster is the intermediaries, totaling eight people, namely NH (female), LA (female), S (male), EMT (female), ZH (female), H (female), BSN (female) and F (female).

Next, there is a cluster of parents consisting of CPS (female), DRH (female), IP (female) and REP (male). They are suspected of carrying out the practice of selling babies in the areas of Jakarta, Banten, Yogyakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, South Sulawesi, Jambi, Bali, East Kalimantan, Kalimantan, Riau Islands and Papua.

The suspect NH is suspected of selling babies in Bali, Kepri, South Sulawesi, Jambi, and Jakarta. Then LA sold babies in West Java, Central Java, Kepri, Jakarta, and Jambi. Then, the suspect S is suspected of selling babies in the Jabodetabek area. Meanwhile, EMT sold babies in Banten, Jakarta, and West Kalimantan.

Then ZH, H, BSN sold babies in Jakarta and F sold babies in West Kalimantan. The suspect CPS sold babies to her sister NH in Yogyakarta.

Then, DRH is suspected of selling babies to her sister LA in Tangerang, Banten. Meanwhile, RET is EP’s boyfriend who is also the biological father of one of the babies, selling to LA in Tangerang, Banten.

“The babies who were successfully rescued are seven babies and are currently in the process of being assessed by the Ministry of Social Affairs,” said Nurul.

The suspects were charged with Article 76F in conjunction with Article 83 of Law Number 35 of 2014 concerning Amendments to Law Number 23 of 2002 concerning Child Protection with the threat of imprisonment of 3 years to 15 years with a fine of IDR 60 million to IDR 300 million.

Then, Article 6 of Law Number 21 of 2007 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Human Trafficking with the threat of imprisonment of at least 3 years and at most 15 years and a fine of at least IDR 120 million and at most IDR 600 million. They were also charged with Article 455 in conjunction with Article 20 of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning TPPO in the country with the threat of imprisonment of at least 3 years and at most 15 years.

Acting Through Facebook-TikTok

Brigjen Nurul revealed that the perpetrators used social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook to carry out their actions. They are suspected of having carried out this illegal practice since 2024.

“The modus operandi is by using social media, in this case TikTok, Facebook, and so on,” said Nurul.

Nurul did not explain in detail the process of selling babies through social media carried out by the suspects. He said that the practice was often disguised as a process of child adoption or adoption.

“Furthermore, the intermediaries offer the babies obtained to prospective parents or adopters by providing false information and birth certificates. The price from the baby’s mother is IDR 8-15 million. If the price of the intermediary is IDR 15-80 million. The more intermediaries, the higher the price,” said Nurul.

Nurul appealed to the public not to easily believe in adoption offers that do not go through official procedures. He invited all parties to prevent the practice of TPPO.

“We appeal to all members of the public to increase vigilance against various modes of baby trafficking which are often disguised as adoption or adoption processes,” he said.