Former KPAI Chief Commends Police for Dismantling Baby-Selling Syndicate
An expert in education and child protection, Susanto, has commended the Police’s Criminal Investigation Directorate (Bareskrim) for exposing a baby-selling syndicate. Susanto stated that this case constitutes a serious crime.
“We express our highest appreciation to Bareskrim Polri for their success in dismantling a human trafficking (TPPO) syndicate involving a baby-selling modus that involved 12 suspects and successfully rescued 7 infant victims,” said the former Chair of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) on Friday, 27 February 2026.
He stated that this baby-selling case represents a serious crime against humanity. Such crimes cannot be tolerated.
“Baby-selling is a serious crime against humanity and a criminal offence. This criminal behaviour is conduct that cannot be tolerated. The state must not lose to criminals,” he said.
He assessed that the case exposure demonstrated synergy between the police and relevant agencies, particularly in addressing human trafficking crimes.
“This success demonstrates the importance of synergy between law enforcement authorities and relevant institutions in handling human trafficking offences,” he said.
Furthermore, he stressed that the exposure of this baby-selling syndicate case is an important message that such crimes must be taken seriously. In fact, their handling must reach the root causes.
“The firm action taken by Bareskrim Polri also sends a clear message that any form of child exploitation will be prosecuted seriously in accordance with applicable legal provisions. I hope the handling of this case continues to the root causes,” he said.
Case of Baby-Selling Syndicate Exposure
Previously, the Directorate for Crimes against Children and Women (PPA) and Human Trafficking (PPO) of Bareskrim Polri exposed a human trafficking case involving a baby-selling modus. As many as 12 suspects were arrested in this exposure.
Deputy Chief of Bareskrim Polri Inspector General Nunung Syaifudin stated that the exposure of this syndicate was an expansion from a previous child abduction case in Makassar.
“The exposure of this case is the result of development from a previous abduction case in Makassar. If we still remember, it was the case of baby Bilqis,” said Nunung during a press conference at Bareskrim Polri, South Jakarta, Wednesday, 25 February 2026.
Nunung said his office collaborated with the Police’s Special Detachment 88 Counter-Terrorism unit to dismantle the baby-trafficking network operating across regions in Indonesia.
On the same occasion, the Director of PPA and PPO, Brigadier General Nurul Azizah, explained that the suspects consisted of two clusters: an intermediary cluster of eight people and a parent cluster of four people.
They engaged in baby-selling practices in the areas of Jakarta, Banten, Yogyakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, South Sulawesi, Jambi, Bali, East Kalimantan, Riau Islands, and Papua.
“A total of 12 people have been named as suspects consisting of eight people from the intermediary cluster and four people from the parent cluster,” said Nurul.
The eight suspects from the intermediary cluster are NH (female), LA (female), S (male), EMT (female), ZH (female), H (female), BSN (female), and F (female). Meanwhile, the four suspects from the parent cluster are CPS (female), DRH (female), IP (female), and REP (male).