A fertility clinic in Crete has been raided by police amidst allegations of human trafficking and fraud, leaving several Australian families heartbroken and unable to see or bring home their newborn babies.
The Mediterranean Fertility Institute, where the babies were born through surrogates, has had its entire medical team arrested and imprisoned on charges of child trafficking.
According to The Australian, around eight babies – including several Australians are being detained by the Greek government in a high-security section of a Crete hospital.
The affected parents await DNA tests to confirm their biological connection to the babies and require permission from the District Attorney's office to take them home. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is continuing to provide consular assistance and engage actively with Greek authorities in support of a small number of families with surrogacy arrangements in Greece
We understand that this is a distressing time for impacted families. Owing to our privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further comment.
The Mediterranean Fertility Institute is one of the largest surrogacy providers in Greece, with Australians reportedly comprising half of their clientele.
Some estimates suggest that the clinic's sudden closure could affect up to 150 Australians currently having surrogates carrying their babies.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is continuing to provide consular assistance and engage actively with Greek authorities in support of a small number of families with surrogacy arrangements in Greece but is unable to provide further comment.
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