Man in Indonesia arrested for allegedly selling his 11-month-old baby online and using proceeds for gambling

JAKARTA: A man who allegedly sold his 11-month-old baby online for 15 million rupiah (US$955) has been arrested in Tangerang, West Jakarta. 

The 36-year-old, identified only as RA by the authorities, then used the proceeds for online gambling and his personal needs, according to local media. 

The buyers have also been arrested, on suspicion of involvement in human trafficking networks. 

Tangerang City Metro Police Chief Zain Dwi Nugroho said the incident first came to light on Oct 1, when the child’s biological mother returned from work in Kalimantan and did not find her offspring, according to news outlet Kompas.com. 

“She pressed RA to share the whereabouts of their child until he eventually confessed that he had sold the newborn,” Mr Zain explained. 

“She then brought him to make a report at the Tangerang City Police Department,” he added. 

When questioned by the police, RA said that he sold his baby to alleviate financial burdens but police revealed that he instead used the money for online gambling, according to local news platform detiknews.

The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) condemned the incident.

“It is worrying that he (RA) is using his financial situation to engage in activities that are being eradicated by the state and with children being sold, he is also violating basic human rights,” said KPAI Chief Ai Maryati to detiknews on Sunday (Oct 6).

Mr Zain explained that RA knew the buyers, identified by the initials HK and MO, through Facebook. 

“RA saw on Facebook that the buyers were looking to purchase a toddler so he sent them a message and arranged the purchase,” he added as quoted by Kompas.com. 

Besides RA, the police also arrested HK and MO, whom they found along with the baby in a rented home in Tangerang. They are now being investigated for suspected involvement in a human trafficking network, though no further details are known. 

Under Indonesian law, human trafficking carries a maximum punishment of 15 years in jail and a fine of 600 million rupiah. Those who violate the child protection law face a maximum 15 years in jail and a fine of 300 million rupiah.

On Oct 3, Communication and Information Minister Budi Arie Setiadi said that the number of Indonesians involved in online gambling activities had reached 4 million people, calling it “a serious threat to the country”.

The majority of them are in the productive age group, specifically between 30 and 50 years old, he added.

Ms Maryati said that the Indonesian community often perceive children as a means to solve economic issues. She cited a similar case which she handled last month where babies were sold from Depok in Jakarta to Bali, also due to poverty.  

According to Depok police chief Arya Perdana on Sep 3, the Indonesian police dismantled a baby trafficking ring in Depok, and made eight arrests in the case which also saw newborns being bought from parents via Facebook, before being sold in Bali for a higher price. 

“There is no excuse to be treating children this way and violation of their rights has to be punished severely,” said Ms Maryati.

She also called on the government to implement long-term strategies to address human trafficking and gambling by focusing on education and literacy.

According to the Asian Development Bank, over 9.4 per cent of Indonesia’s population were living below the national poverty line in 2023.