Real-time information sharing protocols with foreign authorities on child trafficking syndicates linked to Singapore adoptions

Question:

Ms He Ting Ru: To ask the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the protocols for real-time information sharing with foreign authorities on suspected child trafficking syndicates linked to Singapore adoptions; (b) how many joint operations or information requests on child trafficking occurred in the last five years; and (c) whether upstream efforts such as pre-clearance checks and source-country probes will be enhanced.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs:

1. The Singapore Police Force (SPF) maintains close ties with foreign counterparts and exchanges information on transnational crime investigation matters, both bilaterally and via multilateral organisations such as the Interpol.

2. Following a request from the Indonesian National Police (INP) in September 2025 on the allegations of babies being trafficked from Indonesia into Singapore for adoption, the SPF has been rendering assistance to the INP for their investigations.

3. Apart from this request from INP, the SPF has not been requested to participate in any joint operation nor received any information request from any other foreign counterpart relating to child trafficking syndicates linked to adoptions in Singapore in the last five years.

4. On whether adoption processes will be reviewed, the Member of Parliament (MP) may wish to refer to a Parliamentary Question (PQ) reply on this matter by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) for the Parliament Sitting on 3 February 2026.