Nineteen people have been sentenced to prison in Indonesia for their roles in a child trafficking ring that bought and sold babies for illegal adoptions. The convictions, handed down in a West Java court on Tuesday, involved one man and 18 women found guilty of trafficking 34 infants and forging documents to make the adoptions appear legitimate. At least 20 of the babies were destined for Singapore, with 12 already having entered the country.
Leader Sentenced to Seven Years
The syndicate's leader, Lie Siu Luan, 70, received a seven-year prison sentence, lower than the 10 years sought by prosecutors. She admitted to supplying babies to at least four people in Singapore, who agreed to pay at least 18,000 Singapore dollars (£10,300) per child. Lie was also accused of hiring individuals to source babies, care for the children, forge documents, and act as brokers. She claimed she 'didn't know' her actions were wrong, saying her Singaporean partner led her to believe sending babies abroad for adoption was allowed.
Defendants Claimed Ignorance
Many of the defendants said they were unaware their actions were illegal and thought they were 'helping families.' Despite these claims, all 19 were handed prison sentences. Six women who acted as caregivers for the trafficked babies each received three years and four months. Two additional women received the same sentence for acting as brokers. Djaka Hamdani Hutabarat, the only male defendant, was also a broker and sentenced to six years and seven months.
Case Uncovered by Father
The ring's main broker, Astri Fitrinika, received a six-year, seven-month sentence after being found to have sourced most of the children involved. Her crimes came to light when Dani Hidayat reported his newborn baby kidnapped in April 2025. Hidayat had met a woman online who took his child and disappeared. Police discovered the woman was Fitrinika, who had offered to adopt Hidayat's baby for money. When she failed to make a payment, Hidayat went to police. Inspection of Fitrinika's phone revealed she had procured many more babies. Fitrinika was distraught in court, crying and hugging another defendant as her verdict was read, according to the BBC.
Document Forger Sentenced
Lai Siu Ha, a key figure who falsified documents including birth certificates and Indonesian family cards, was sentenced to six years and seven months. Her lawyers expressed disappointment, stating in a statement: '[While she] did carry out the acts in question… what she did was purely in line with her assigned role, which related to the processing of civil registration documents.' They also claimed no evidence showed she committed forgery. The same lawyers represent two other defendants, including Fitrinika, who are considering appeals. At least one convict is appealing.
Ringleader Accepts Sentence
Ringleader Lie is understood to have accepted her fate. Her lawyers said: 'This was a consideration from our client, essentially accepting the decision. What is clear is that this is still much better than the demands of the prosecution service, who charged her with 10 years. So I think maybe the judge's consideration was that she regretted her actions.'
Rescued Babies in State Care
Indonesia's Ministry of Social Affairs stated that children rescued from the trafficking cases will be assessed to determine their legal status and suitable care arrangements, including possible return to biological families or placement in alternative care 'in accordance with child protection regulations, with the goal of ensuring safe, legal, and long-term caregiving.' Eight babies remain under state care at an orphanage in West Java.
