TRAFFIC OF BABIES IN VENEZUELA

Fernando Tarazona, head of Citizen Security of the Government of Táchira state, reported that a band composed of citizens of Colombian nationality was mostly dismantled, which was dedicated to buying newborn children for which they paid 350,000 pesos, that is, 7 million of bolivars.

The situation could be ascertained from a complaint made by a young mother who indicated that her 43-day-old daughter was taken away by a lady who approached her.

"The investigations determined that the girl had not been abducted but, on the contrary, was the object of a sale in a business in coordination with the father of the baby. They gave the girl and received the amount of 350,000 pesos, "said Tarazona.

He indicated that the band of Colombian citizens abused the problems of the people. "This band, using the needs of people, and more than teenagers, was dedicated to this," he warned.

When the fact was clarified, the woman from Barinas, who had made the complaint in the regional media, was arrested after different police bodies made the inquiries.

Tarazona did not indicate if other similar cases were registered, but added that episodes of theft of neonates have been reported. In November 2016, a woman of Colombian nationality took a newborn from the Central Hospital of San Cristóbal, posing as a relative of a patient there.

The woman made the woman take her confidence and took advantage when he saw her asleep to snatch the baby. The suspect left the main care center without being warned. After coordination with the Colombian National Police, the baby was located in Cúcuta and the abductor detained.