JOHOR BARU, MALAYSIA: Police have obtained a remand order for three women and two men until tomorrow to facilitate investigations into the baby-for-sale racket.

The five were arrested at a medical centre here on May 22 after police found documents pertaining to the sale and purchase of infants.

However, they were released on Wednesday on police bail, only to be re-arrested later over allegations of cheating. Magistrate Rasidah Roslee issued the remand order for the five suspects.

They are a 62-year-old doctor; his 56-year-old clerk; the clerk's husband, 58, who is an officer with the Johor National Registration Department; and two women, aged 47 and 48, who are believed to be siblings.

All five were represented, while Assistant Superintendent Khalawan Singh prosecuted.

In a statement later, Johor police chief Datuk Mokhtar Shariff said 34 people had been detained since investigations began. The case is also being investigated under the Anti-Human Trafficking Act 2007 and the Child Act 2001.

It was reported that the NRD officer is alleged to have provided forged birth certificates to facilitate the purchase and adoption. The syndicate allegedly sourced the babies from women who wanted abortions.

They were persuaded to continue their pregnancies so that the syndicate could buy the infants.

The price of the babies would depend on gender and race.

Chinese babies were sold at between RM10,000 and RM20,000, while infants of other races were worth RM10,000.