nder the Radar is a weekly special series bringing you compelling, under–the–radar stories from around the world, one region at a time. This week in SE Asia and Oceania, the Indonesian police’s recent arrest of members of a baby trafficking ring is drawing attention to an increasingly concerning crisis. Other noteworthy under–the–radar stories from the region include a growing number of abandoned Southeast Asian elephant calves, a controversial decision by Australia’s Environmental Protection Agency, and Malaysian police’s arrest of immigration officers.
On 26 January 2026, Indonesian police arrested nine people tied to a baby trafficking ring and announced that they are still looking for three more individuals. This specific trafficking ring managed to sell two babies for between just over $500 and just under $1,500 each. The syndicate was preparing to sell a third baby when the police made the arrests. The police revealed that the syndicate marketed the babies through social media under the guise of offering the babies for adoption, with an attached fee to speed up the process. They ran operations out of a rented house where pregnant women, specifically targeted by the syndicate because of their dire financial situations, would give birth and sell their babies to the syndicate. This arrest follows a similar case in July 2025, where Indonesian police arrested 13 people tied to another baby trafficking ring. This syndicate had been operating since 2023 and had trafficked at least 25 babies. The 2024 Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) report noted an increase in child trafficking, indicating the growing severity of this issue.
The 2025 KPAI report highlights one loophole that the baby trafficking syndicate can exploit: The existence of birth certificates in predominantly rural areas of Indonesia is shockingly low. KPAI reported that only 45% of children in Indonesia have birth certificates, and some provincial governments in predominantly rural regions lack any data on how many children have birth certificates. The police involved in the 2025 July arrests found that the syndicate falsified birth certificates for the babies they were trafficking, an easier feat when the baby does not have a legitimate birth certificate. A previous report found that a majority of Indonesian parents in rural areas thought it was too costly or too far to travel to obtain a birth certificate. Many parents were also unaware of how to get one.
Indonesia’s long and discriminatory adoption process also seems partly to blame for the prevalence of baby trafficking. To qualify to adopt, you must be a married heterosexual couple between the ages of 30-55. Thus, baby trafficking syndicates can prey on hopeful parents who do not meet those requirements or those who do not want to deal with the lengthy process by offering to forgo the legal adoption procedures for a fee.
Here are some other under–the–radar stories from across SE Asia and Oceania:
- Scientists are concerned about a seeming increase in the number of elephant calves lost or abandoned in Southeast Asia.
- Australia’s Environmental Protection Agency recommended approval of a fracking proposal that could increase the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 1.8–2.6%, drawing immense criticism.
- The Malaysian government arrested two immigration officers believed to have led an illegal passport renewal syndicate.
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Indonesia’s baby trafficking arrests expose a worsening crisis
Photo by Tom Fisk via Pexels.
February 13, 2026
Diplomatic Courier's Stephanie Gull brings you weekly under–the–radar stories from around the world. This week in Southeast Asia and Oceania: the Indonesian police’s recent arrest of members of a baby trafficking ring is drawing attention to an increasingly concerning crisis.
U
nder the Radar is a weekly special series bringing you compelling, under–the–radar stories from around the world, one region at a time. This week in SE Asia and Oceania, the Indonesian police’s recent arrest of members of a baby trafficking ring is drawing attention to an increasingly concerning crisis. Other noteworthy under–the–radar stories from the region include a growing number of abandoned Southeast Asian elephant calves, a controversial decision by Australia’s Environmental Protection Agency, and Malaysian police’s arrest of immigration officers.
On 26 January 2026, Indonesian police arrested nine people tied to a baby trafficking ring and announced that they are still looking for three more individuals. This specific trafficking ring managed to sell two babies for between just over $500 and just under $1,500 each. The syndicate was preparing to sell a third baby when the police made the arrests. The police revealed that the syndicate marketed the babies through social media under the guise of offering the babies for adoption, with an attached fee to speed up the process. They ran operations out of a rented house where pregnant women, specifically targeted by the syndicate because of their dire financial situations, would give birth and sell their babies to the syndicate. This arrest follows a similar case in July 2025, where Indonesian police arrested 13 people tied to another baby trafficking ring. This syndicate had been operating since 2023 and had trafficked at least 25 babies. The 2024 Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) report noted an increase in child trafficking, indicating the growing severity of this issue.
The 2025 KPAI report highlights one loophole that the baby trafficking syndicate can exploit: The existence of birth certificates in predominantly rural areas of Indonesia is shockingly low. KPAI reported that only 45% of children in Indonesia have birth certificates, and some provincial governments in predominantly rural regions lack any data on how many children have birth certificates. The police involved in the 2025 July arrests found that the syndicate falsified birth certificates for the babies they were trafficking, an easier feat when the baby does not have a legitimate birth certificate. A previous report found that a majority of Indonesian parents in rural areas thought it was too costly or too far to travel to obtain a birth certificate. Many parents were also unaware of how to get one.
Indonesia’s long and discriminatory adoption process also seems partly to blame for the prevalence of baby trafficking. To qualify to adopt, you must be a married heterosexual couple between the ages of 30-55. Thus, baby trafficking syndicates can prey on hopeful parents who do not meet those requirements or those who do not want to deal with the lengthy process by offering to forgo the legal adoption procedures for a fee.
Here are some other under–the–radar stories from across SE Asia and Oceania:
- Scientists are concerned about a seeming increase in the number of elephant calves lost or abandoned in Southeast Asia.
- Australia’s Environmental Protection Agency recommended approval of a fracking proposal that could increase the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 1.8–2.6%, drawing immense criticism.
- The Malaysian government arrested two immigration officers believed to have led an illegal passport renewal syndicate.
