Police Arrest 2 Midwives Suspected Of Buying And Selling Babies For Tens Of Millions In Yogyakarta

Two suspects for buying and selling babies in the city of Yogyakarta were presented during a press conference at the Yogyakarta Regional Police Headquarters, Sleman, Yogyakarta DI, Thursday (12/12/2024) (ANTARA/Luqman Hakim)

Yogyakarta Regional Police arrested two midwives with the initials JE (44) and DM (77) who were suspected of buying and selling babies through a maternity house in Yogyakarta City.

"These suspects have been selling or carrying out activities since 2010," said Director of the Ditreskrimum of the Yogyakarta Regional Police, Kombes FX Endriadi, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, December 12.

Endriadi revealed that the two suspects sold IDR 55 million to IDR 65 million for a baby girl and IDR 65 million to IDR 85 million for a baby boy with the mode of giving birth.

The disclosure of the case stems from information regarding the alleged sale or trafficking of babies in the Yogyakarta City area.

After being investigated, the police found indications of an agreement to purchase a baby girl on December 2, 2024, worth IDR 55 million with a DP worth IDR 3 million based on a search from the suspect's account number.

Furthermore, on Wednesday (4/12), at around 13.00 WIB, the DIY Police Team arrested two perpetrators of selling the baby at one of the maternity homes in Deemaran Baru, Tegalrejo, Yogyakarta City.

"After the arrest, we found a baby girl with the characteristics of a female gender, 52 cm long, weighing 3.7 kg, ranging from 1.5 months old, in good condition and in good health," he said.

The baby and the two suspects were then secured for examination at the Ditreskrimum Polda DIY.

Based on the examination, JE is known to have been a recidivist in 2020 and has been sentenced to 10 months in prison in Wirogunan, Yogyakarta.

In 2024, the suspect will again carry out his actions by selling children several times, including selling a boy in the Bandung area and selling girls in the Yogyakarta City area.

The two suspects carried out their actions by accepting the delivery or treatment of babies through the delivery house where they practice.

"Hospitals or their practice places have been spread, and have been informed of receiving and caring for and raising babies," he said.

Every couple who are not willing or unable to take care of their baby, are asked to go to their place of practice to be entrusted and treated by the suspects.

The two then looked for people who wanted to adopt the baby, including helping prospective adopters get birth certificates for illegally adopted babies.

"If there is a partner or person who will take care of the baby, a sales transaction will be carried out," said FX Endriadi.

Based on data obtained by the Yogyakarta Regional Police in 2015 until when they were caught red-handed on December 4, 2024, from the practice of the two suspects, 66 babies were sold consisting of 28 baby boys and 36 baby girls and 2 babies without their gender statements.

From the handover document for the babies from the delivery house, it is known that the baby was adopted by inside and outside the city of Yogyakarta including Surabaya, NTT, Bali, to Papua.

"Against these two suspects, we are still conducting investigations, investigations, and we will finish them later and we will send them to the prosecutor's office for further law enforcement processes," said Endriadi.

For their actions, JE and DM were charged with Article 83 of the Law (UU) Number 17 of 2016 concerning child protection and Article 76F of Law Number 35 of 2014 with a maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum fine of IDR 300 million.