A court in Indonesia has sentenced an individual to seven years in prison for her role in a baby trafficking operation that sold infants for adoption in Singapore. Lie Siu Luan, a 70-year-old from Indonesia, was found guilty of orchestrating the sourcing and sale of at least twelve babies, with each child reportedly fetching around $13,179. The ruling was issued on July 17 at the Bandung District Court in West Java.
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Lie Siu Luan’s operation relied heavily on a network of brokers. She hired 18 people who masqueraded as the biological mothers of the infants. This strategy was aimed at deceiving potential adoptive parents. Alongside Luan, the other defendants were also convicted, receiving varying sentences between three to six years in prison.
The case gained traction in July 2025 when Indonesian authorities apprehended 13 individuals associated with the trafficking ring in West Java. Investigations revealed that 25 infants, each around a year old, had been sold for approximately 16 million Indonesian rupiah, equivalent to about $893. This alarming discovery raised concerns over a larger international trafficking operation between Indonesia and Singapore.
The investigation began when a West Java resident, identified as Dani Hidayat, reported a suspicious offer from a group member. After joining a Facebook group focused on child adoption, Hidayat was approached with an offer to purchase his baby. This prompted further inquiries from law enforcement, leading to the arrest of multiple individuals implicated in the scheme.
The trial for the 19 defendants commenced at the Bandung District Court, which included 18 women and one man. These individuals were charged with various roles in the trafficking operations, such as recruitment, care for the infants, and the preparation of falsified documents. During the proceedings, it was revealed that Luan directly facilitated the adoption of at least a dozen children to Singapore in 2022, highlighting the extent of her involvement in the illegal enterprise.
During her court appearance, Luan expressed a lack of awareness regarding the legality of her actions. She claimed that her partner in Singapore misled her into believing that the operations were lawful. Judge Gatot Ardian Agustriono presided over the case, confirming that Luan had been implicated in multiple crimes concerning the recruitment and exploitation of vulnerable individuals for adoption purposes.
Though many had anticipated a longer sentence given the serious nature of the charges, Luan decided not to appeal her conviction. Her lawyer, Seni Sanjaya, stated that she accepted the court’s decision, indicating a degree of resignation to the sentence handed down.
The Indonesian authorities have yet to release detailed comments regarding the case. In a landscape where baby trafficking concerns continue to emerge, this case serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced in combating such operations, as evidenced by the involvement of multiple individuals and the exploitation of social media platforms. The case remains a focal point for discussions on child welfare, legal accountability, and the protection of vulnerable populations within the region.