Thirteen Filipinos sentenced for baby-selling ring in Cambodia

In late September 2023, thirteen women from the Philippines were arrested in Cambodia during a police raid on a villa in Kandal province, where authorities discovered a human trafficking operation involving baby surrogacy. The women, who were acting as surrogates for foreign clients, were sentenced to four years in prison on human trafficking-related charges by the Kandal Provincial Court. Two years of their sentence were suspended, pending no further offenses, and they were held at a police hospital until they gave birth. The women were recruited by a ring based in Thailand and their living conditions were provided by this organization. This case stands out in Cambodia's surrogacy landscape, as it deviates from the typical practice of surrogates being employed within their home countries. The Cambodian government had previously banned commercial surrogacy in 2016 due to the country's rising reputation as a hub for overseas surrogacy and the associated human trafficking risks. Following the ban, many foreigners began seeking surrogacy services elsewhere, leading to stagnant business, leaving vulnerable women susceptible to exploitation by illegal networks. Following their arrest, eleven women who were not pregnant were deported, while the verdict indicated that the court viewed the women as conspirators rather than victims in this case. It is notable that it remains unclear what will happen to the babies after their birth. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges of human trafficking in Cambodia, particularly regarding illegal surrogacy and significant international implications for protection against exploitation.