Transnational surrogacy ring, mastermind is foreigner

On the evening of August 8, in an exchange withPV, a representative of the Criminal Police Department (Ministry of Public Security) said that they had just successfully dismantled a large-scale commercial surrogacy ring operating internationally, led by a Chinese man named Wang (unknown background).

This is a sophisticated criminal organization with a tight organizational structure, clear division of tasks andusing high technologyto avoid detection by authorities. The subjects took advantage of social networks and telecommunications platforms to recruit Vietnamese women in difficult circumstances, organize surrogacy and then sell newborn babies abroad.

Through professional measures, Department 5 - Criminal Police Department discovered a ring operating vigorously on social networks. Detectives coordinated with Ninh Binh Provincial Police to conduct investigations, collect evidence for many consecutive days and identified many key players in the ring.

Under the direction of Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Long - Deputy Minister, Head of the Investigation Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security, on July 15, the Task Force simultaneously deployed many working groups and summoned related subjects.

The summoned subjects include: Quach Thi Thuong (born in 1985, from Lam Dong), Pham Thi Hoai Thu (born in 1987, residing in Hanoi), Phung Thi Nuong (born in 1996, Hanoi), Nguyen Thi Hang (born in 1996, Hanoi), Nguyen Thi Thu Trang (born in 1992, Ninh Binh), Lo Thi Thanh (born in 1996, Son La), and many other subjects.

In this operation, 11 newborns aged 9 days to 3 months were safely rescued. They were all children of surrogate mothers in the network and were in the process of completing procedures to be sent abroad.

According to the statements of the subjects at the investigation agency, around the end of 2021, Quach Thi Thuong used a Zalo account named "Coca" (later changed to "Pepsi") to connect with Wang (using Zalo account "Andy") - the Chinese subject leading the line.

Wang asked Thuong to select women under 35 years old, in good health to be surrogates, and at the same time find someone to take care of the newborn and carry out legal procedures such as birth registration, DNA testing, and passports. Wang paid Thuong 1,000 USD/month, Thu 500 USD/month, and each surrogate mother was paid 300-400 million VND/case.

The subjects took women to Cambodia or China for embryo implantation, then returned to Vietnam to care for the pregnancy and give birth. All financial transactions were conducted through intermediary accounts, without using cash to avoid detection.

Thuong confessed to having organized about 60 surrogacy cases, earning 575 million VND. Thu confessed to having performed about 40 cases, earning 345 million VND. Notably, many women who had been surrogates continued to be hired as nannies, taking care of newborns with salaries of 570,000 - 750,000 VND/day.

The investigation also revealed that three Chinese nationals entered Vietnam on May 25, 2025, under the direction of another member of the network named "Xiao Lu", to receive a newborn baby that had been hired as a surrogate mother. While waiting to complete the paperwork at the Chinese Embassy, ​​they were discovered and checked.

Based on the testimony and investigation documents, the Ninh Binh Provincial Police Department has initiated a case and prosecuted Quach Thi Thuong, Pham Thi Hoai Thu, Lo Thi Thanh, Phung Thi Nuong, Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, Vo Thi Lan and Nguyen Thi Hang for the crime of "Organizing surrogacy for commercial purposes".

Currently, 11 newborns are being cared for at the Peaceful House (under the Center for Women and Development - Vietnam Women's Union). The Criminal Police Department has requested the Department for Maternal and Child Protection - Ministry of Health and the Vietnam Children's Fund to support the care of the children during the investigation.