[People News] In Shandong, an intermediary involved in baby trafficking claimed to have insiders in hospitals who can provide buyers with full services, including birth certificates, household registration, and vaccination certificates, with the option of selecting a boy or girl. The intermediary claimed to have sold over twenty babies this year, drawing widespread attention.

According to Red Star News, a reporter from the media outlet, along with anti-trafficking volunteer Shangguan Zhengyi, posed as buyers interested in purchasing a baby and arranging a birth certificate in Linyi, Shandong, where they met with an intermediary named Zhong.

“Whether you want a boy or a girl, just let us know in advance, and we’ll find a pregnant mother ready to deliver. This year, we’ve already sold over twenty babies,” said Zhong. “I’ve never had any issues, whether it’s selling babies or helping with household registration.”

The intermediary explained that a female infant costs 140,000 yuan (RMB), and a male costs 160,000 yuan. If a purchase is confirmed, after a deposit is paid, the buyer only needs to wait outside the hospital on the day of the baby’s birth. After the newborn's health check, the buyer’s father signs the paperwork at the hospital and can take the baby home. The intermediary also promises to arrange a birth certificate in the buyer’s name.

As for the source of the babies, Zhong stated that she acquires them from young women with unwanted pregnancies who do not wish to raise the child, many of whom are young female university students.

To ensure seamless documentation, Zhong stated that once the pregnant woman reaches her due date, the hospital admission paperwork is completed using the buyer's identity information rather than the biological mother’s ID.

Furthermore, for babies of unknown origin, they can arrange a “genuine” birth certificate, but this costs more than purchasing a baby, at 180,000 yuan. This is done by creating a false record in the hospital with insider help, but since the baby wasn’t actually born at the hospital, the birth certificate can only be issued after a waiting period of two to three months to avoid suspicion.

Zhong claimed she has “insiders” at both Lanling County Maternity and Child Health Hospital and Linyi City Maternity and Child Health Hospital and has successfully carried out this process multiple times.

“I’ve been in this business for seven years, and I’ve handled so many babies and birth certificates for buyers that I’ve lost count, never failing once,” Zhong asserted.

Zhong also claimed she could arrange vaccination certificates for an additional fee of 20,000 yuan. She showed the reporter a picture of a vaccination certificate previously obtained for a buyer, indicating it was issued by the Lanling County Urban Community Health Service Center.

On October 18, Red Star News reporters contacted Lanling County Maternity and Child Health Hospital regarding the claims. Staff expressed doubts, stating that without specific names of alleged insiders, it was difficult to confirm but promised to investigate the matter.

The incident quickly went viral on October 18, reaching the top spot on Weibo’s trending topics.

Many netizens expressed outrage: “Colluding with maternity hospitals to sell babies is an audacious crime.”

“It’s terrifying. Hospitals have become accomplices to human traffickers.”

“Not surprising; this has existed for years and is likely happening everywhere.”

Some netizens questioned, “How can reporters uncover this, but not the police?”