Child trafficking under the guise of surrogacy: a member of a criminal organization extradited from Germany
Kyiv • UNN
A member of a criminal organization suspected of human trafficking under the guise of surrogacy has been extradited from Germany. The suspect, an administrator of a medical clinic, recruited women for the illegal export of newborns abroad.
A member of a large criminal organization, suspected of human trafficking under the guise of surrogacy programs, has been extradited to Ukraine from Germany. The extradition was secured by the Obolon District Prosecutor's Office of Kyiv. This was reported by the Prosecutor General's Office, writes UNN.
Details
The suspect, a resident of Kharkiv, worked as an administrator at a medical clinic. According to the investigation, she participated in recruiting women, mostly from the Kharkiv region, who were misled. The women were assured that they were carrying children for married couples. However, after childbirth, they were blackmailed and forced to register the newborns in their own names for subsequent illegal export abroad.
The investigation established that the organization included 12 people, including heads of medical clinics in Kyiv and Kharkiv, managers, and a lawyer. They had been selling newborns to foreigners from countries where surrogacy is prohibited for a long time.
The cost of "services" ranged from 50,000 to 70,000 euros per child, while surrogate mothers were paid about 12,000 euros.
In August 2023, all participants were notified of suspicion. The extradited suspect and three other accomplices were placed on an international wanted list.