Families paid more than €5,000 for newborns as illegal baby market emerges
Public prosecutors probe a black market after at least two newborns were sold and a first verdict was issued.
Authorities say families without children have been paying more than 5,000 euros to obtain newborns through an illegal network, and investigators have confirmed that at least two babies were sold for money.
Investigation and criminal probe
The Public Prosecutor's Office is examining several additional cases linked to the same ring. Investigators describe the operation as a black market in babies that bypasses the formal adoption system.
According to officials, a foster caregiver for children without parents acted as an intermediary within the network. That person is now implicated in the ongoing inquiries.
Court records show the first verdict has been issued in one of the cases. In that matter, a mother allegedly sold her newborn for 5,000 euros and a married couple bought the child.
Prosecutors say inquiries remain open as they seek to identify others involved and to determine how widespread the practice is. Authorities stressed the risks of sidestepping legal adoption channels and urged citizens to report suspicious activity.
Photo: press material from the event
