Vietnamese officials claim they broke up one of Vietnam’s biggest illegal surrogacy rings in recent years, freeing 11 babies and detaining several suspects in an extensive cross-border scheme. The ring, allegedly orchestrated by a Chinese national by the pseudonym Wang, exploited financially disadvantaged women and hid their activities under layers of false identities, encrypted messages, and high-end safe houses.
International Exploitation Disguised as Motherhood
Though surrogacy is legalized in Vietnam in humanitarian and strictly controlled situations, commercial surrogacy is illegal. It is claimed that this criminal syndicate took advantage of that legal loophole, enlisting women from poor rural provinces as surrogates for Chinese and Cambodian clients.
As informed by the Ministry of Public Security’s Criminal Police Department, the scam entailed sending recruits overseas for embryo implantations and then bringing them back to Vietnam to complete the pregnancy. The payments were based on pregnancy milestones, with the surrogates given monthly allowances and bonuses for successful embryo transfer and giving birth.
Investigations revealed an extremely structured operation, with Wang hiring local agents to take care of recruitment, medical arrangements, birth certificates, and even childcare after giving birth. One of them, Quach Thi Thuong who goes by “Coca” and “Pepsi” on social media is said to have organized about 60 surrogate pregnancies since getting involved in the ring towards the end of 2021. She was paid 575 million dong (£16,325) for her services, while about 40 cases were managed by former surrogate-turned-hospital go-between Pham Thi Hoai Thu for 345 million dong (£9,795).
Luxury Hideouts, High-Paying Deals, and Harsh Penalties for Women
They are reported to have paid each of the surrogates between 300 and 400 million dong (£8,500–£11,350) per pregnancy. Deductions were made where the baby was born prematurely or for women who were between 35 and 38. Some surrogates, after delivery, were also kept on as nannies, receiving a maximum of 750,000 dong (£21) per day.
To avoid detection, the group reportedly housed women in upscale, high-security apartments and regularly switched locations. The July 15 nationwide raid, ordered by Deputy Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Long, resulted in arrests across multiple provinces. Police also detained three Chinese nationals who had entered Vietnam in May to collect a newborn.
The sweep uncovered the network’s utilization of Vietnam’s popular Zalo messaging application for contacting recruits, making travel arrangements, and communicating with international clients. Thuong is suspected of using several aliases on the service, peddling covert transactions while flying under the radar of police.
Infants Rescued, Investigation Expands
The newborn babies, between nine days and three months old, are currently taken care of by the Vietnam Women’s Union’s Centre for Women and Development. They are being treated medically and provided shelter with help from the maternal and child health department of the Ministry of Health and the Vietnam Children’s Protection Fund.
Police have officially charged several suspects, including Thuong, Thu, and others identified as Phung Thi Nuong, Nguyen Thi Hang, Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, and Lo Thi Thanh. They all stand to be prosecuted for arranging surrogacy for commercial gain.
Officials say this investigation may expand as they follow the ring’s financial networks and overseas links. The case has also renewed calls for closer regulation of assisted reproduction services and online recruitment to stop such exploitation in the future.
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