Flash Floods in Southern China Claim Five Lives Amid Severe Weather Warnings

Authorities in China have dismantled an illegal surrogacy operation in Hunan province, where speech-impaired and disabled women were exploited as surrogate mothers. The investigation, led by anti-trafficking activist Shangguan Zhengyi, resulted in the rescue of nine women, including a 41-year-old surrogate from Shaanxi province who claimed to have received approximately 40,000 USD for an embryo transfer.
A raid on a three-story residential building in Changsha revealed a fully equipped facility with an operating room and medical beds, obscured from public view by covered windows. According to the South China Morning Post, police discovered surgical tools and equipment used for embryo transfer and egg retrieval.
Eighteen individuals, including medical staff, have been arrested as part of the crackdown on the racket. Local health officials assured that the facility has been sealed, and the case will be dealt with strictly under the law. This development follows previous incidents that highlighted the dark reality of illegal surrogacy practices in China.