Nineteen people have been convicted for their roles in a baby trafficking ring that sold dozens of infants in Indonesia and Singapore. The Bandung City District Court in West Java handed down sentences ranging from three years and four months to seven years in prison.
Mastermind Jailed for Seven Years
Lie Siu Luan, a 70-year-old woman also known as Lily, was identified as the mastermind of the operation. She recruited other defendants and was sentenced to seven years in prison. Two other key defendants, Astri Fitrinika, 26, and Djaka Hamdani, 35, received six years and seven months for recruiting babies. Hamdani was the only male defendant among the 19 convicted.
Lai Siu Ha, 60, who forged documents to conceal the babies' origins, and Elin Marlina, who also recruited infants, each received six years and seven months. The remaining 14 defendants were given three years and four months for lesser roles, including five who falsely claimed to be the babies' parents to potential adopters.
Babies Trafficked Between 2022 and 2025
The court heard that at least 34 babies were trafficked between 2022 and 2025. Some were taken to Singapore and sold for the equivalent of thousands of pounds. The investigation began in 2025 after a father reported that his newborn son had been taken without his consent, exposing an organized network operating across West Java.
Authorities stated that babies were taken from various locations in the province, moved to Depok, then to Pontianak, where they were kept before some were flown to Singapore via Jakarta. The court ordered that rescued babies be placed under the care of the West Java social service agency.
Prosecutor: Singapore Adoption Agents Unidentified
Prosecutor Cucu Gantina told reporters after the trial, "As for the babies in Singapore, we couldn't identify who the adoption agents (in Singapore) were, so we had no way of knowing what happened to (the babies). Police will keep investigating the case."
A couple in Singapore, David and Ally, who adopted one of the babies unaware of the trafficking ring, expressed concern for the child's future. David told the BBC, "My main concern has always been, and continues to be, what will happen to my son. Our only wish is to live a normal family life, like any other couple hoping to raise a child in a safe, stable, and loving home. We hope that this matter can now be brought to a resolution so that our son can move forward with certainty and security."
He added, "Since the case is concluded, how can we move on and what will happen to our son? It's been almost a year of fear and anxiety of waiting."
