Nineteen individuals have been convicted for their involvement in the trafficking of numerous infants. Eighteen women and one man were found guilty in Indonesia for selling children under the guise of adoption in Indonesia and Singapore.
The Bandung City District Court in Indonesia revealed that at least 34 infants were trafficked between 2022 and 2025, with some being transported to Singapore and sold for substantial amounts. An investigation was initiated in 2025 after a father reported his newborn child was taken without his consent, exposing a well-organized network operating in West Java.
Authorities stated that the infants were sourced from various locations in the province, moved to Depok, then to Pontianak, and eventually flown to Singapore through Jakarta. The convicted defendants received prison sentences of up to seven years, with the mastermind, Lie Siu Luan, alias Lily, receiving a seven-year sentence.
Among the other defendants, two individuals, Astri Fitrinika and Djaka Hamdani, were sentenced to six years and seven months for their involvement in recruiting infants for trafficking. Additionally, Lai Siu Ha and Elin Marlina were each sentenced to six years and seven months for their roles in the operation.
The remaining 14 defendants received sentences ranging from three years to four months for lesser roles, including five individuals who falsely posed as the infants’ parents. The court ordered the rescued infants to be placed under the care of the West Java social service agency.
Regarding the infants in Singapore, the adoption agents remain unidentified, leading to uncertainty about their well-being. A couple in Singapore, David and Ally, who unknowingly adopted one of the trafficked babies, expressed concerns about the child’s future and hope for a resolution to provide stability and security for their son.
They emphasized the desire for a normal family life and expressed the emotional toll of the prolonged uncertainty. The couple’s main focus remains on ensuring their son’s well-being and moving forward with clarity and assurance after a year of anxiety and apprehension.