Defendants charged with trafficking newborns. — Photo dantri.com.vn

HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội People’s Court on Tuesday handed down lengthy prison sentences for five defendants involved in trafficking newborns via air travel, all from HCM City.

The first-instance trial took place just ahead of the 'World Day Against Trafficking in Persons' and Việt Nam’s 'National Day Against Human Trafficking', both observed on July 30, serving as a warning and deterrent against human trafficking crimes. It also aimed to raise public awareness, disseminate legal knowledge, and alert citizens to the exploitative nature and methods used in human trafficking operations.

Nguyễn Thị Thu Thủy (born 1990) received 24 years in prison, Siu H’Hạnh (born 1986) 15 years and six months, Lê Trần Vân Đạt (born 1995) 15 years, Trần Thị Liễu (born 1978) 14 years, and Hồng Văn Thái (born 1978) 12 years – all on the charges of 'Trafficking in persons under 16 years old' (Article 151, Penal Code) and 'Forging seals and documents of agencies and organisations' (Article 341, Penal Code).

According to the indictment issued by the Hà Nội People’s Procuracy on October 4, 2020, security screening officers at Nội Bài International Airport detected suspicious behaviour in passenger Lê Trần Vân Đạt, who was carrying an infant girl named L.T.K.N. with a birth certificate while preparing to board a flight to HCM City. Suspecting human trafficking, authorities conducted an administrative check and transferred the case over to the police.

Investigations by Hà Nội’s Criminal Investigation Police Department revealed that Đạt, along with Thủy, H’Hạnh, Liễu and Thái, had been involved in the trafficking of children under 16 and the forgery of official documents and seals.

Siu H’Hạnh, who was unemployed, frequently visited the Facebook group 'Adoption Community' and learned that some women facing unplanned pregnancies were seeking adoptive families due to financial hardship. At the same time, she knew of infertile couples looking to adopt. H’Hạnh decided to act as an intermediary, collecting infants from biological mothers and selling them to those seeking adoption for profit.

Around September 2020, H’Hạnh met Nguyễn Thị Thu Thủy, a clinic employee, during a prenatal check-up. Upon learning that Thủy was also part of the same Facebook group, the two conspired to traffic newborns for financial gain.

Through social media, Thủy and H’Hạnh contacted prospective adoptive parents to negotiate payments. After receiving money, they allocated a portion to hospital fees, postnatal care for the birth mothers and travel expenses, while keeping the remainder for themselves.

To facilitate the trafficking, H’Hạnh enlisted Đạt to assist, while Thủy recruited Thái and Liễu. Their roles included caring for pregnant women in hospitals and transporting infants from HCM City to Hà Nội to deliver to adoptive families.

Authorities determined that from February to October 2020, the group had exploited the legal adoption framework to commit trafficking offences. Thủy played the leading role, trafficking a total of 12 infants.

Specifically, Thủy sold eight babies to a Buddhist nun, T.T.T., for care at a pagoda, and brokered the sale of four others to infertile couples. To facilitate the transfer and official registration of these infants, Thủy paid to have three fake birth certificates produced. She then sent these by post to the nun, who used them to buy plane tickets and register the children.

Thủy received a total of VNĐ651 million (approx. US$25,600) from adoptive families. Of this, she used VNĐ359 million for medical expenses, baby formula, postnatal care, and airfare. The remaining VNĐ262 million was spent on her personal needs.

H’Hạnh was accused of selling infant L.T.K.N. to Thủy for VNĐ25 million. She also conspired with Đạt to forge a birth certificate, which Đạt used to board a flight from Hà Nội to HCM City with the baby.

The remaining defendants were aware of Thủy and H’Hạnh’s unlawful activities but still assisted in exchange for financial benefit.

After reviewing the case, the court handed down the aforementioned prison terms to the five defendants. It also ordered that seven children be entrusted to Quang Phúc Pagoda in Thượng Hamlet, Thanh Liệt Ward, Hà Nội, and four others to the care of individuals currently raising them. These caretakers are required to complete legal procedures to establish the children’s identities in accordance with the law and to safeguard their rights and interests both now and in the future. — VNS