Authorities in Madagascar said on Monday they had broken up a fraudulent international adoption ring that allegedly trafficked in bought or stolen infants.
Eight people have been charged in connection with the case, four of whom have been detained, according to senior judicial police officer Albert Rakotondravao.
”Eleven babies, ranging from newborns to nine months old, were found in the house of a grandmother on the outskirts of Antananarivo while false documents for their adoption were being prepared,” he said.
”The old woman said they were all her grandchildren but investigations have shown this to be false.
”In fact, this woman worked with intermediaries whose work was to approach pregnant single women,” the senior officer said.
”These intermediaries offered to help with the birth as long as they left their child in exchange for a bit of money.”
Once the child was handed over, fake birth certificates and essential consent forms from fake mothers would be drawn up with the help of state officials, and handed over to an approved international adoption centre, he said.
”This traffic brought in 800 euros, 500 for the centre and 300 for the woman,” he said, citing the detained elderly woman.
”We are taking this very seriously because we have heard about huge numbers of babies being stolen,” he said.
In 2002, 281 Madagascan children were adopted by French people, according to a French foreign ministry website. – Sapa-AFP