Nghe An asks for Central's opinion on handling the situation of fetal trafficking

Women who cross the border to sell fetuses

(Baonghean.vn) - For about a year now, in Nghe An, there has been a surge in the buying and selling of fetuses - a new tactic of human traffickers that the law still does not have specific regulations on.

Speaking to reporters from Nghe An Newspaper on the sidelines of the provincial People's Council meeting on the morning of December 12, Colonel Nguyen Huu Cau - Director of Nghe An Provincial Police, said that he had just sent a document to central ministries and branches to ask for opinions and guidance on handling the situation of fetal trafficking. This document was sent to the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme People's Procuracy and the Supreme People's Court.

This move was made in the context of the growing trafficking of fetuses in the mountainous district of Ky Son (Nghe An). Traffickers often seek out pregnant women who are 6-8 months pregnant and lure them to China to give birth and then sell them.

Newborn babies are often sold for 50-80 million VND. There are cases where the fetuses died while trying to cross the border to China to sell, causing the families to fall into further poverty.

Colonel Nguyen Huu Cau speaks about the situation of fetal trafficking at the Provincial People's Council meeting on December 11. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Believing that this is a very new trick of human traffickers, the head of Nghe An Police said that just about 2 months ago, the police counted 22 women in Ky Son district who had just crossed the border to China to sell their fetuses and returned. They were mainly concentrated in Huu Kiem commune. However, this number has now increased to nearly 30 people.

Meanwhile, the current Penal Code has up to 5 crimes related to human trafficking but does not mention the sale of fetuses. Although the crime of buying, selling, or appropriating human tissues or body parts is also mentioned in the law.

“There are no victims in these cases, so they cannot be prosecuted. The victims here are the fetuses. But many legal experts believe that fetuses are not human beings. Because who knows, the fetus may have been damaged before birth, or died right after birth,” said Colonel Cau.

A woman in Huu Kiem commune has just returned from China after selling her child. Photo: Tien Hung

Speaking at the 8th session of the Nghe An Provincial People's Council from December 10-12, Colonel Nguyen Huu Cau also warned about this very new human trafficking method. According to him, to handle this behavior, there are currently 2 ways. The first way is to re-sign the Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement between Vietnam and China.

"This agreement was signed in 1998, now it needs to be changed and revised to create conditions for our police to go there, or for the Chinese police to extradite them to Vietnam for us to handle," said Colonel Cau.

Second, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme People's Procuracy and the Supreme People's Court need to soon issue a joint circular to guide the handling of this behavior. However, in the long term, it is also necessary to soon include this behavior in the criminal law.

Dinh Son 1 Village (Huu Kiem Commune, Ky Son), where many women are flocking to China to sell their fetuses. Photo: Tien Hung

Also in the corridor of the Provincial People's Council this morning (December 12), Mr. Vi Hoe - Secretary of the Ky Son District Party Committee said that the district leaders have also grasped this situation. "These women who sell fetuses are often from poor households and lazy to work. In the immediate future, we will direct local authorities and relevant agencies to focus on promoting propaganda, especially in villages where the Khmu people live so that people do not participate in this matter," said Mr. Hoe.