Kulon Progo Police Arrest Sindikat Sale And Purchase Of Babies Through Social Media With Adoption Mode

YOGYAKARTA - The Kulon Progo Police have arrested four suspects in a syndicate of the practice of buying and selling babies through Facebook social media with adoption modes.

"The suspects we have secured are looking for the target of young pregnant women who do not want from the results of illicit relations," said Kulon Progo Police Chief AKBP Wilson Bugner F. Pasaribu during a press conference reported by ANTARA, Monday, November 25.

The four suspects, all of whom came from Central Java, consisted of two men with the initials AH (41) and A (39) and two women with the initials NNR (20) and MM (52).

Wilson explained that the case was uncovered starting from information received by investigators from the Kulon Progo Police PPA Unit regarding the practice of buying and selling babies on several adoption group forums on the Facebook social media platform.

The police then conducted an investigation, then found a Facebook account that was actively looking for pregnant or childbirth women, including people looking for babies to adopt.

"After being investigated, it turned out that the account acted as the party who carried out the practice of buying and selling babies with the aim of making a profit in the form of money," he said.

On Wednesday (20/11) the investigator then contacted the perpetrator's account and pretended to be looking for a baby to be adopted, then agreed by the perpetrator at a price of Rp. 25 million.

"When investigators asked for the baby to be sent, the suspect sent the baby in question. After the baby was delivered, the suspect asked for the money that had been promised, then the suspects were arrested for legal proceedings," he said.

In carrying out their actions, the suspects shared roles ranging from searching, selling, to delivering babies to customers.

The suspect MM who was arrested in Solo, Central Java, said AKBPWilson, was the mastermind behind the practice of buying and selling babies, NNR acted as ababysitter, A as a person looking for people who wanted to buy babies, and AH as a driver to deliver babies to their destination or customer.

While looking for a baby with the mode of adopting, according to him, they also pretended to be a husband and wife and one suspect became the father-in-law who wanted a baby.

Based on the results of the examination, the gang had carried out the practice of buying and selling babies a dozen times which lasted for more than a year.

They also falsified documents, including baby birth certificates.

"Currently we are revealing one baby. However, based on the results of the investigation, this has been a dozen times, and we will follow it to find out who accommodates and sells," he said.

According to him, the syndicate charges differently for each baby that is sold, from Rp. 20 million to Rp. 40 million.

"Not to mention the half-blood. For women, it's more expensive. That's according to the testimony of witnesses," he said.

Baby orders from syndicates come from various areas, ranging from Yogyakarta, Central Java, DKI Jakarta, to Manado.

Police secured a baby under the supervision of the Wates Hospital with the Kulon Progo Social Service.

The police did not take legal action against parents who allowed their children to be adopted by the syndicate because they were in a position of being deceived because they did not understand the regulations governing child adoption.

"It can be said that he is a layman who does not understand the law, does not understand the rules, so this is taken by the perpetrator to pretend to be an adopter," he said.

From the suspects, the police confiscated a number of pieces of evidence, including 9 screenshots of a conversation, a photo of a baby on a scale, a payment receipt of Rp. 25 million, a mother and child's health book, a birth certificate, and a letter of adoption agreement with a stamp of Rp. 10,000.

In addition, the police also confiscated cash worth IDR 25.7 million, 3 cell phones, and 1 Toyota Avanza car used to deliver ordered babies.

The suspects were charged with Article 83 in conjunction with Article 76 (f) of Law Number 35 of 2014 concerning Amendments to Law Number 23 of 2002 concerning Child Protection which has been amended by Law Number 17 of 2016 with a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.