Bulgaria, Greece Bust Large Child Trafficking Network

Crime | January 25, 2011, Tuesday // 13:29

9 Bulgarian nationals of Roma origin have been arrested in Greece and 5 more in Bulgaria in a joint operation by the police forces of the two neighbors directed against an organized network that trafficked and sold newborn kids.

The operation targets what is suspected to be one of the biggest networks for the selling of children  in Greece, which is reported to operate in Athens, Lamia and Seres.

The Bulgarian Roma arrested have been traveling back and forth to Greece for 10 years now. In Greece, doctors and notaries have also been detained. The operation in Bulgaria took place in the northern Black Sea city of Varna.

The police op has been prepared over the last six months. 14 cases have been ascertained in which women, predominantly of Roma origin, have been solicited and convinced to sell their newborn babies to childless families.

Baby-girls were sold for EUR 18-20,000, while male children were exchanged for some EUR 25,000.

In almost all of the cases, the mothers agreed voluntarily to do so, for which they had to travel to Greece to give birth, after which to agree to leave their child for adoption.

In most of the cases the mothers did not receive the full arranged price for the transaction, the rest going to the intermediators.

The participants in the networks can get up to 15 years in jail and fines of EUR 50,000. Mothers who sold their children appear not to be criminally liable, as they have cooperated with the police.

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Tags: babies, children, human trafficking, greece, Athens, Varna

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