A couple sold their newborn child in Mykolaiv

Police detained a couple who tried to sell their baby for 10 thousand dollars. The detention took place immediately after they received the full amount of money. Law enforcement officers found that the motive for the crime was a desire to enrich themselves to meet personal needs. The actions of the detainees are classified as human trafficking, which provides for a long term of imprisonment.

This was reported by the National Police of Ukraine.

Employees of the Migration Police Department of Mykolaiv region received intelligence in advance that a local couple was preparing a crime related to human trafficking. As it turned out, a 21-year-old resident of Mykolaiv and her 38-year-old civilian husband started looking for buyers for their child before the birth, when the woman was in the last months of pregnancy.

All further actions of the couple took place under the close supervision of law enforcement officers within the framework of the criminal proceedings. During the meeting with the potential 'buyer', the parents agreed on the terms: they agreed to give the newborn child for $10,000. The criminals immediately took a deposit of UAH 8,000, and the mother even wrote a receipt promising to hand over the baby immediately after discharge from the hospital.

On January 2, just the day after the baby was born, the couple proceeded to fulfill their end of the bargain. The baby was handed over and the remaining amount of money was received near the hospital. Immediately after the exchange was completed, the police, with the forceful support of the Special Forces, detained both suspects.

The large-scale operation involved migration police, investigators, criminal analysts and fighters of the special purpose company of the Mykolaiv region police. Currently, both detainees have been served a notice of suspicion under Part 3 of Art. 149 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (human trafficking committed against a minor). The investigation established that the couple had previously had problems with the law due to drugs, property crimes and offenses against the person.

By court order, the suspects will be held in custody, although they were given the option of bail. Mykolaiv Regional Prosecutor's Office is providing procedural supervision in the case.

Катерина Глушко