Indonesian authorities have uncovered a cross-border baby smuggling network that trafficked at least 15 Indonesian infants to Singapore throughout 2025. The operation was exposed following an investigation by the West Java Regional Police into illegal adoption practices involving forged population documents and international travel.
The babies were flown from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta to Changi Airport in Singapore. They were accompanied by adult couples who posed as the children’s biological parents. One of the trafficked babies was identified by the name Arya.
The Director of Special Criminal Investigation at the West Java Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Ade Sapari, said the syndicate targeted vulnerable parents in several regions of West Java, including Bandung, Sukabumi, and Cianjur.
“Parents were offered between IDR 10 million and IDR 20 million to hand over their babies,” Ade said. He added that the syndicate also covered prenatal care and delivery costs.
According to the police, the syndicate prioritised babies considered physically attractive for transfer abroad. Babies who did not meet those criteria were channelled into the illegal domestic adoption market.
Use of Fake Documents and Overseas Transfers
To carry out the operation, the syndicate recruited married couples to act as escorts. The couples registered the babies on their Family Cards (Kartu Keluarga) using forged birth certificates. These documents were then used to apply for passports at the Pontianak Immigration Office in West Kalimantan.
Once the travel documents were issued, the babies were taken back to Jakarta and flown directly to Singapore. Police said the use of air travel contradicted earlier suspicions that the babies had been smuggled overland.
In Singapore, adoptive parents reportedly paid more than S$20,000 per baby to adoption agencies. Indonesian authorities stated that such payments violate national law, which requires adoption to be free of charge and prohibits adoption by foreign nationals residing outside Indonesia.
Women and child protection activist Maria Advianti said disguising trafficked children as family members is a common tactic in cross-border cases.
“Pretending to be a small family on holiday is often used in baby trafficking,” Maria said. She urged the government to strengthen controls on international travel and examine discrepancies in passenger movement data.
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Arrests and Ongoing Legal Process
As of July 2025, police had arrested around a dozen suspects linked to the syndicate in West Java. Ade said the case files of 13 suspects are scheduled to be submitted to the Prosecutor’s Office by the end of January 2026.
“The trial of the syndicate suspected of trafficking 25 babies is expected to begin in March 2026,” he said.
Police confirmed that 15 babies aged between five and 14 months had been taken to Singapore. The Indonesian and Singaporean governments have coordinated their investigations, including communication with adoptive parents in Singapore.
Singaporean authorities said they would take firm action against adoption agencies found to be negligent or knowingly accepting children of unclear origin. As part of the investigation, Singapore has suspended the granting of citizenship to adopted babies.
The issue was raised in Singapore’s parliament on Wednesday, January 14. Workers’ Party legislator Sylvia Lim questioned the government, addressing Minister of State for Social and Family Development and Minister of Home Affairs, Goh Pei Ming.
Sylvia said one of her constituents had adopted a baby involved in the case. “They have been caring for these babies for over a year, and this uncertainty is torture for them. Could ministry officials or relevant partners have detected any suspicions before issuing an adoption order?” she said, as quoted by The Straits Times on Thursday, January 15.
Under Indonesian law, human trafficking carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years and a fine of up to Rp 600 million. Authorities said the case highlights the need to strengthen population administration systems, immigration oversight, and cross-border cooperation to prevent similar crimes.
