Surrogacy: Trafficking rings exposed - Russia and Thailand

Recent news stories, posting for interest...

Russia arrests
www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/08/03/8-arrested-in-russias-first-surrogacy-probe-a71049
"The probe was launched after one of the babies born to a surrogate mother was found dead in a flat outside Moscow in January. Three other babies found in the same flat were placed into state care. The probe expanded after five more babies were found in a different flat in June."
Appeal of arrest of the CEO
rapsinews.com/judicial_news/20200804/306112519.html
"However, defense lawyers believe that investigators failed to discover cause-effect links between actions’ of the doctors and the baby’s death. Moreover, they state that current legislation does not prohibit citizens to become parents using vitro fertilization and surrogate services."

This follows a Thailand story (where commercial surrogacy is now illegal)
www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2020/07/16/10-held-for-running-wombs-for-hire-syndicate

So far there have been 21 arrests and two escapees:
"Five of the suspects are gynaecologists (three from private hospitals and two from a public hospital), one is a lab technician whose duty was to mix the eggs and sperm of good-looking models, and four are female agents who found women willing to hire out their wombs."

I'd love to see more coverage in this in UK media.