Illegal Baby Market Disguised as Adoption on Social Media Uncovered: What Should People Be Aware Of?

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Directorate of Special Crimes for Women and Children and Human Trafficking of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) has uncovered a practice of illegal baby trading disguised as adoption through social media.

In this operation, investigators have named 12 individuals as suspects and rescued seven babies who were victims of a human trafficking network operating across different regions.

Director of Special Crimes for Women and Children and Human Trafficking of the Indonesian National Police, Brigadier General Pol Nurul Azizah, stated that the disclosure of this case is based on police report number LP/A/09/XI/2025/SPKT/DITTIPIDPPA-PPO/BARESKRIM POLRI dated 21 November 2025.

“Today, we are disclosing a human trafficking case involving the trading of babies that occurred in the areas of Jakarta, Banten, Yogyakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, South Sulawesi, Jambi, Bali, Kalimantan, Riau Islands, and Papua,” said Nurul, during a press conference at the Indonesian National Police Headquarters in Jakarta, Wednesday (25/2/2026).

“I would like to inform you that the disclosure of this human trafficking case, involving the trading of babies, is the result of an investigation that stemmed from a previous kidnapping case in Makassar,” said Nunung on the same occasion.

According to her, the handling of this case involves collaboration between various directorates within the Indonesian National Police, namely the Directorate of Special Crimes for Women and Children and Human Trafficking, the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation (Dittipidum), and the Special Detachment (Densus) 88 Anti-Terror.

This synergy, she said, represents the presence of the state in protecting vulnerable groups, especially children.

In this case, investigators have named 12 suspects, consisting of eight individuals who acted as intermediaries and four others who are the biological parents.

The group of intermediaries includes:

DRH, who sold a baby to NH in Bekasi, West Java. IP, who sold a baby to LA in Tangerang, Banten.

REP, who is IP’s partner and also the biological father of one of the babies, also sold the baby to LA.

Nurul revealed that this network used social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook to offer babies to prospective adoptive parents.

“The modus operandi involves using social media, in this case TikTok, Facebook, and similar platforms,” said Nurul.