- Singapore authorities have stated they cannot conclude whether any offences were committed in the country regarding a baby trafficking case, following the sentencing of syndicate members in Indonesia.
- On July 21, an Indonesian court sentenced 19 members of a baby trafficking syndicate, with the ringleader Lie Siu Luan receiving a seven-year prison term.
- The syndicate operated between 2022 and 2025, moving infants from West Java to both Indonesia and Singapore.
- In mid-July 2025, members of the syndicate were arrested during raids across Bandung, Jakarta, and Pontianak.
- In January, Singapore ministries acknowledged delays in citizenship applications for some children involved in the case.
Singapore authorities have stated they are currently unable to conclude whether any offences were committed in the country regarding a baby trafficking case, despite an Indonesian court convicting 19 members of a syndicate.1234
The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) indicated that they are working closely with Indonesian authorities to gather information on the children involved and their biological parents. This information is crucial for assessing the best interests of the children, which is a key consideration for Singapore courts in pending adoption applications.
In Indonesia, the Bandung City District Court sentenced 19 individuals, including 18 women and one man, for their roles in a sophisticated human trafficking network that operated between 2022 and 2025. The ringleader, Lie Siu Luan, received the harshest sentence of seven years for orchestrating the operation, which exploited vulnerable families and forged legal documents to facilitate illegal adoptions.56
The syndicate targeted economically vulnerable households in West Java, paying local parents between IDR9mn to IDR15mn (approximately $500 to $833) to secure custody of infants. The children were then moved through transitional hubs where their identities were concealed, before being sold to adoptive parents in Singapore for prices ranging from SGD17,000 to SGD21,600 (around $13,178 to $16,000).
The case highlights the ongoing challenges in addressing cross-border human trafficking and the complexities involved in international adoption processes.
“The Bandung court sentenced 18 women and one man, with mastermind Lie Siu Luan receiving the harshest term. Singapore's MSF and MHA said they will keep working with Indonesian authorities to determine each child's best interest for pending adoption applications.”
IntelliNews
