9 Feb 2013

Arrests in baby smuggling ring

9:15 am on 9 February 2013

Police in Indonesia are investigating a baby smuggling ring, which took babies to Singapore and sold them there to people from other countries.

Police said seven people have been arrested, including midwives. One woman has been questioned on suspicion of selling her child.

Investigators said the children were bought from poor families in west Java for about $US2000 each.

A child protection official told the BBC there was evidence that the practice had been going on since the mid-1990s.