HCMC police dismantle baby trafficking ring across 32 localities
More than 100 police officers in HCMC have dismantled a baby trafficking ring operating across 32 cities and provinces, rescuing many children in the process.
The ring was allegedly led by Cao Thi Thu Phuong, 41, who, along with Nguyen Thi Anh Dao, 35, and 14 others, were put under investigation for trafficking minors and forging seals and documents, HCMC police said at a Wednesday press conference.
Investigators revealed that Dao was caught with a three-day-old baby boy at a hotel in HCMC’s Tan Binh District. Dao confessed to deceiving the infant’s mother in Dak Lak Province, claiming she was unable to have children and wanted to adopt the baby. In reality, Dao planned to sell the child to a couple in HCMC for VND40 million ($1,608).
Further investigations led to the arrest of Phuong, who allegedly ran the trafficking ring under the guise of facilitating adoption procedures.
Since the start of the year, the ring bought 16 children for VND10-23 million each and sold them for VND35-75 million, netting illegal profits of hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong.
To cover up the trafficking, the ring enlisted the services of a group led by Phan Phuong Nam, 35, who allegedly forged documents to make the adoptions appear legitimate. A raid on Nam’s premises uncovered computers, printers, counterfeit seals and fake documents, including birth certificates.
Police said 84 children might have been trafficked across 32 localities, and many were rescued during the operation. The investigation is ongoing.
By Quoc Thang – VnExpress.net – August 28, 2024