A 70-year-old Indonesian woman, Lie Siu Luan, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for leading a baby trafficking ring operating between Indonesia and Singapore, a judge announced on Wednesday. Lie was found guilty of committing crimes for the purpose of exploitation, according to presiding judge Gatot Adrian Agustiono at the Bandung district court in West Java province.

Lie led a group of 19 individuals charged with trafficking infants, with activities that included sending babies for adoption in Singapore. During the trial, she admitted to having sent at least 12 babies abroad. Prosecutors had sought a 10-year prison term for Lie, but the court handed down a lighter sentence. Lie’s lawyer, Sendi Sanjaya, told reporters that she accepted the court’s decision and would not appeal.

The indictment detailed a 2022 case in which Lie trafficked a baby to Singapore for adoption, reportedly receiving approximately S$17,000 in return. Alongside Lie, another defendant, Astri Fitrinika, was convicted of a similar charge and sentenced to six years and seven months in prison. The remaining 17 individuals involved in the trafficking ring received prison terms ranging from three to six years.

The case highlights ongoing concerns about illegal adoption and trafficking networks operating across Southeast Asia. While the sentences imposed are intended to serve as a deterrent, some observers had expected harsher penalties given the exploitative nature of the crimes. The defendants in the case were prosecuted under Indonesian law clauses addressing exploitation and trafficking in persons.