Cross-border surrogacy ring exposed: Inside the 'kiln' for pregnant women

An undercover investigation has exposed a cross-border surrogacy ring in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, revealing grim realities for the women involved. The operation, managed by Hồ Thanh Huyền and her husband Nguyễn Trúc Giang, recruits women through social media, promising good care and accommodation. However, an undercover journalist found the reality to be starkly different, living in cramped, shared rooms in a rented facility. The ring operates a closed system, managing everything from recruitment and housing to medical care and travel arrangements for surrogacy in Thailand. Huyền and Giang are identified as the key operators in Ho Chi Minh City, overseeing the women's well-being, finances, and pregnancies. They are reportedly working under a woman named Thu Ba, who is based in Thailand, and assisted by two former surrogates, Nguyễn Thị Thắm and Liễu. The ring disperses women across multiple locations in Ho Chi Minh City to avoid detection, with separate facilities including a house and an apartment complex. The investigation documented five women at various stages of pregnancy, with some having undergone embryo implantation in Thailand and others awaiting travel. One woman had already given birth during the journalist's infiltration. The report highlights that the surrogates are kept under strict control, with their lives dictated by the ring's schedule.

“

I have arranged a place for you.