Baby-selling syndicate operating from Jakarta to Papua uncovered, 12 people including biological parents arrested
A heinous human trafficking operation involving the sale of babies has been exposed. The Directorate of Special Crimes for the Protection of Women and Children (PPA) and the Directorate of Special Crimes for Trafficking in Persons (PPO) of the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit (Bareskrim) have arrested 12 suspects in this case.
This operation involves two groups of perpetrators: intermediaries and biological parents, according to the Head of the PPA and PPO, Brigadier General of Police Nurul Azizah.
“A total of 12 people have been named as suspects, consisting of eight people from the intermediary group and four people from the biological parent group,” she said on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
The eight suspects from the intermediary group are identified by the initials NH (female), LA (female), S (male), EMT (female), ZH (female), H (female), BSN (female), and F (female). The four suspects from the biological parent group are CPS (female), DRH (female), IP (female), and REP (male).
The police revealed that this network operates across various regions, including Jakarta, Banten, Yogyakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, South Sulawesi, Jambi, Bali, Kalimantan, Riau Islands, and Papua.
NH is accused of selling babies in Bali, Riau Islands, South Sulawesi, Jambi, and Jakarta. LA sold babies in West Java, Central Java, Riau Islands, Jakarta, and Jambi. Suspect S operated in the Greater Jakarta area (Jabodetabek), while EMT operated in Banten, Jakarta, and West Kalimantan. ZH, H, and BSN sold babies in Jakarta, while F operated in West Kalimantan.
From the biological parent group, CPS sold a baby to NH in Yogyakarta. DRH sold a baby to LA in Tangerang, Banten. Meanwhile, REP, who is EP’s boyfriend and the biological father of one of the babies, sold the baby to LA in Tangerang.
In this operation, the police managed to rescue seven babies who are currently undergoing assessment by the Ministry of Social Affairs.
“Seven babies have been rescued and are currently undergoing assessment by the Ministry of Social Affairs,” she said.
The suspects are charged under Article 76F in conjunction with Article 83 of Law Number 35 of 2014 concerning Child Protection, with a penalty of 3 to 15 years of imprisonment and a fine of IDR 60 million to IDR 300 million.