China busts largest blood smuggling ring targeting pregnant women
Authorities in Guangdong province uncovered a large-scale operation smuggling over 100,000 blood samples from pregnant women used to determine fetal gender—a test banned in mainland China. This case is significant due to violations of local laws and concerns over citizens’ privacy.
Source Sixthtone
Organizers promoted the service as a "non-invasive test" through social media and medical online platforms, allowing fetal gender detection several weeks earlier than ultrasound. The test cost between 2,000 and 3,000 yuan ($284–425). Blood samples collected from 23 regions in China were illegally shipped outside the mainland, including to Hong Kong.
Twenty-six individuals involved in the smuggling have been detained, with the criminal group earning about 30 million yuan (approximately $4.3 million). Some samples were concealed under clothing and in suitcases. The operation highlights the long-term and large-scale nature of this illegal scheme.
