Hong Kong Houseworks Arrested for Sale for Abortion Drugs

Eleven household workers have been arrested in Hong Kong on suspicion of “destruction of children” and illegal abortions, police said.

The women of the 30th and 40s were rounded after being found at the home of her employer with a dead fruit at the home of her employer, later confirmed that she was at least 28 weeks old.

Police also found that drugs they were suspected of were abortion pills – which eventually led them to 10 other women.

Since then, five have been charged, while five are on bail and one has been left in custody for a further investigation. If they are found guilty of the most serious accusation, the destruction of the child, they could encounter a life sentence.

The investigation began in June after the paramedics were called to help a 39-year-old home worker who collapsed at his employer’s home.

Then the paramedics found the fetus hidden in a laundry basket in their room, police said, which was not born alive.

When she was questioned, the woman admitted that she was buying pills from a friend – another foreign home worker.

She was arrested in July, with police eventually committing a series of attacks between July 29 and August 8, during which eight more domestic workers were detained.

Inspector Lam Hon of the Yuen Long Crime Squad said he seemed to be not a crime union. Instead, preliminary findings show that “the 32-year-old foreign home helper … returned them from another country” and claimed to have sold them.

It is not clear what every woman was accused of – whose police of nationalities – would not have been accused.

Abortion is legal in Hong Kong, but only under strict conditions – below 24 weeks, when the continuation of pregnancy would harm the mother’s life or if health is at risk or in the case of a severe fetal abnormal. Over 24 weeks abortions can only be performed if the mother’s life is in danger.

People found guilty of the delivery or use of abortion drugs can be up to seven years in prison.

On Friday, police asked employers to make their home workers talk to a healthcare professional if they were pregnant.

Hong Kong hosts about 368,000 foreign local workers, according to government statistics. Most – about 55% – come from the Philippines, while 42% are from Indonesia.

Most win government fixed by a monthly minimum wage of $ 4,990 HK ($ 636; £ 473).