A team of prosecutors said they discovered a “ criminal enterprise » which charged foreign couples around $50,000 for a baby born via surrogacy in Argentina.
Of the ” vulnerable women in a situation of economic precariousness » were « targeted and recruited on social networks », They explain. They were offered $10,000, with a “ prime » ranging from 1 to 2,000 dollars if they gave birth by cesarean section. However, if the pregnancy was terminated “ for any reason “, for example in case of miscarriage, companies refused to pay surrogate mothers, ” except for minimum monthly expenses ».
Argentina has suffered from an economic crisis for decades. More than 50% of the population lives in poverty.
An investigation by the office to combat human trafficking and exploitation
In early October, police raided four fertility centers in Buenos Aires and two in Rosario, seven notaries’ offices and three law firms. She seized medical and financial records. The public prosecutor’s office, together with the office for combating human trafficking and exploitation, is investigating those involved for ” trafficking offenses » and “ commercialisation » of children.
The investigation began in January, when a 58-year-old German woman took a three-month-old baby to “ very poor health » in the emergency room of a hospital in Bonn. It turned out that the child was born in Argentina through a surrogate mother. German police deemed the woman unable to care for the baby and placed him in a temporary foster family.
A “commercial scheme developed on a national and international scale”
Prosecutors are currently investigating similar cases dating back to 2018. They have so far identified ” at least 49 others ” which, according to them, have similar characteristics to “ german case ” initial. None of the organizations or individuals under investigation have yet been publicly named.
« The incident that led to the opening of this case is not isolated ,” Federal Prosecutor María Alejandra Mángano said in a statement. “ On the contrary, it was revealed that it was a commercial scheme developed on a national and international scale. »
Women also exploited in the Philippines
In the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration foiled an organization’s attempt to employ a Filipina as a surrogate mother for more than 500,000 pesos[1].
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado revealed that the 37-year-old victim was intercepted last October 15 at Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport while trying to board a plane. flight to Batumi, Georgia. This is the seventh case recorded in the country’s airports, the commissioner expressed alarm. In early October, 20 Filipino women were rescued by authorities after being recruited as surrogate mothers in Cambodia.
Several developing countries have attempted to end international surrogacy in recent years. Thus, in 2015, Thailand and India banned foreigners from paying for surrogacy but “ the practice continued to develop » (cf. Iran, India: surrogacy to pay your bills).
The global surrogacy market is estimated to be worth $14 billion in 2022, $17.9 billion in 2023 and could reach $139 billion in 2032.
[1] Nearly 8000 euros
Sources : The Guardian, Harriet Barber (22/10/2024) ; The Manila Times, William B. Depasupil (24/10/2024) – Photo : iStock
