The Cyberabad Special Operations Team in Telangana has dismantled a sophisticated interstate syndicate that was buying and selling infants across states for lakhs of rupees.
"The babies are hardly a few days old. Those arrested have previous cases booked against them in multiple states. We want to ensure the action we take serves as a deterrent," Madhapur DCP Ritiraj told NDTV.
Each infant was sold for approximately Rs 15 lakh. The gang primarily targeted affluent childless couples, often providing forged documentation to make the "adoption" appear legal.
The operation led to the arrest of 12 individuals involved in an organised network that trafficked and sold infants to childless couples across the country. Investigations revealed the gang operated a nationwide supply chain, frequently sourcing infants from cities like Ahmedabad and transporting them to Hyderabad for sale.
According to police sources, the syndicate had successfully sold at least 15 children in the Hyderabad region alone before being intercepted.
The racket was deeply entrenched in the healthcare system. Investigators found that the accused had established links with staff and middlemen across eight different hospitals. These agents targeted vulnerable biological parents or identified "unwanted" births to procure infants, who were then sold to wealthy buyers.
Each infant was sold for approximately Rs 15 lakh. The gang primarily targeted affluent childless couples, often providing forged documentation to make the "adoption" appear legal.
During raids conducted by the Special Operations Team, two infants were rescued from the traffickers. The babies have been moved to a state-run childcare centre for medical evaluation and protection.
The 12 arrested individuals include key kingpins, interstate transporters, and local hospital-based agents. Cyberabad police are currently checking hospital records and bank accounts to trace the money trail and identify other medical professionals who may have assisted the gang.
"This is a massive network with roots in multiple states. We are working closely with the Gujarat police to trace the biological parents of the rescued infants and to identify other children who were sold through this illegal channel," a senior Cyberabad police official said.
