Law & Justice
Indonesia sentences baby trafficking ring leader to seven years in prison
An Indonesian court sentenced Lie Siu Luan, described by the source as the leader of a baby trafficking ring, to seven years in prison on Tuesday. Presiding judge Gatot Ardian Agustriono said the 70-year-old was found guilty of committing crimes for the purpose of exploitation.
Lie was accused of leading a group of 19 people involved in trafficking babies in Indonesia and Singapore. The sentence was lower than the 10 years sought by prosecutors. Lie had earlier told the court that she had sent at least 12 babies to Singapore.
According to the indictment, Lie trafficked a baby to Singapore for adoption in 2022 and received about S$17,000. Gatot said another defendant, Astri Fitrinika, was convicted on a similar charge and sentenced to six years and seven months in prison.
The defendants were arrested last year after a parent reported a baby kidnapping to police in West Java province. Police rescued several infants held by the syndicate before they could be sold. The source said other children who were rejected by would-be clients in Singapore were sold inside Indonesia, including to adoptive parents in Jakarta.
The source said human trafficking remains a problem in Indonesia. It cited a 2022 case in North Sumatra province in which at least 57 people were found caged on a palm oil plantation.
Update
Lie Siu Luan was described as the leader of a group of 19 people accused of trafficking babies in Indonesia and Singapore.
Prosecutors had sought a 10-year sentence for Lie.
Lie previously told the court she had sent at least 12 babies to Singapore.
The indictment said Lie trafficked a baby to Singapore for adoption in 2022 and received about S$17,000.
Another defendant, Astri Fitrinika, was sentenced to six years and seven months in prison on a similar charge.
The defendants were arrested after a parent reported a baby kidnapping to police in West Java province.
Police rescued several infants held by the syndicate before they could be sold.
The source said some children rejected by would-be clients in Singapore were sold in Indonesia, including to adoptive parents in Jakarta.
The source included context about human trafficking in Indonesia and a 2022 case in North Sumatra.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 06:58:44 UTC.
Update
The convicted woman was named as Lie Siu Luan.
Presiding judge Gatot Ardian Agustriono said she was found guilty of recruiting, harbouring, sending and transferring victims for exploitation.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 06:19:08 UTC.
Source
AFP news report published on .