Woman detained after 'trying to smuggle baby to the US in her hand luggage'
A woman was detained in the Philippines after she allegedly tried to smuggle a newborn baby in her hand luggage.
The 43-year-old American passenger was stopped by authorities at Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport when she was preparing to board a flight to the US on Wednesday.
Security staff found the six-day-old baby boy in her large bag.
The woman claimed the child was her nephew but when asked if she had proof she could not provide any.
The child had not been checked in and did not have a passport.
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The woman is now facing possible child trafficking charges after the case was passed to the Philippines National Bureau’s Anti-Human Trafficking Division, according to CNN.
The Bureau of Immigration said: “The infant was hidden in the oversized belt bag and (she) did not declare nor present to the immigration inspector during departure formalities.”
Grifton Medina, who is in charge of the Immigration Port Operations Division, confirmed the baby was being looked after by social services.
