Hanoi Police have commenced legal proceedings against and detained three people on the charge of running a commercial surrogacy ring.

The detainees are ringleader 43-year-old Hoang Huy Quang from Hanoi’s Hoang Mai district, and 29-year-old Vu Thi Lieu and 32-year-old Pham Thien Thuan, both from Ninh Giang district, the northern province of Hai Duong.

Investigations reveal that from April to August, the ring arranged six surrogacy cases, each costing from 450 million VND (19,350 USD) to 550 million VND.

Lieu used social networks to seek surrogate mothers, offering them from 200 million VND to 220 million VND.

Earlier, the Investigation Police Agency under the Police Department of northern Quang Ninh province also launched criminal proceedings against a local woman for arranging surrogacy for commercial purposes.

28-year-old Tran Thi Ba from Ha Long city was arrested on August 7 in an apartment building in Cao Thang ward where she lives with eight other women, three of whom are pregnant.

The police also detained Vu Nga Linh, 31, residing in Cam Pha city, to investigate the illegal surrogacy ring.

Doan Bong