• 9 people arrested in child trafficking network
• Ongoing search for 3 others

The police in Medan, Indonesia, have arrested nine individuals and are searching for three more for their alleged involvement in a network trafficking children through illegal adoption schemes on social media.

Medan Police Chief, Senior Commissioner Jean Calvin Simanjuntak, said the suspects sold at least two babies for amounts ranging from 9 to 25 million Indonesian rupiahs each (approximately $530–1,470), and were planning to sell a third baby when apprehended.

Simanjuntak explained: “The suspects marketed the children through Facebook groups and TikTok, and the network operated with a highly organized structure.”

The police indicated that the infants were sold to buyers in several cities across North Sumatra, as well as in Pekanbaru in Riau province and the Aceh region.

Authorities said the case came to light following a tip-off from neighbors about suspicious activity at a rented house on Jl. Pintu Air in the Medan Johor district, where residents observed pregnant women frequently entering and leaving the property.

Simanjuntak added that initial information suggested one of the mothers was being held against her will in the house, but the police raid revealed that she was merely awaiting childbirth.

He further stated: “She had agreed to sell her baby to the network for 9 million rupiahs (around $530), and the syndicate planned to resell it to prospective buyers for 20 million rupiahs (around $1,170).”

The police explained that the woman agreed to the arrangement due to financial hardship, having been unemployed for two years and intending to use the money to cover travel and work document expenses for employment in Malaysia.