Taiwanese authorities have busted an alleged cross-border illegal surrogacy ring that reportedly involved at least 22 Taiwanese men and resulted in 25 babies being born in Taiwan.
The Taichung District Prosecutors Office and National Immigration Agency uncovered the operation, allegedly led by Chinese nationals including a man surnamed Cheng, who set up assisted reproductive and surrogacy companies in Thailand.
The group reportedly promoted its cross-border surrogacy services extensively through websites and social media, even sharing successful cases to attract Taiwanese clients.
After being introduced to the service, male clients were allegedly given personal information and photographs of numerous Thai egg donors to choose from. The group reportedly claimed clients could pay extra to select the baby’s gender.
Once an egg donor was selected, the group allegedly arranged for the donor and the Taiwanese client to travel to Malaysia to provide eggs and sperm. The eggs and sperm were then fertilised in vitro before the resulting embryo was implanted into a Thai surrogate mother.
After the surrogate reached full-term pregnancy, the group allegedly arranged for her to travel to Taiwan. Cheng and a Taiwanese accomplice, identified as Hsu, were responsible for arranging accommodation, medical check-ups and daily care until the birth.
The newborns were then handled by their Taiwanese biological fathers, who would complete the subsequent procedures to register them as Taiwanese citizens.
Investigators found that 25 babies were born through the operation between February 2024 and June this year. Of these, 21 were boys, accounting for 84% of the total.
The alleged surrogacy packages reportedly cost between US$60,000 and US$100,000, depending on the clients’ requirements. The group also allegedly offered a US$150,000 package guaranteeing a successful birth, with the highest reported cost reaching NT$4.5 million.
Following the investigation, prosecutors charged three suspects, including Cheng, under Article 31 of Taiwan’s Artificial Reproduction Act. Two other Chinese nationals allegedly involved in running the operation have been placed on the wanted list.
The case came to light after prosecutors, immigration officers and other authorities conducted a joint crackdown in June, exposing the alleged cross-border operation.
