Hong Kong Police Arrest Eleven Domestic Workers for Alleged Illegal Abortions

In a recent crackdown on illegal abortions, eleven domestic workers in Hong Kong were arrested, with five charged and others released on bail. The case unfolded after paramedics found a deceased fetus in a worker’s home, leading police to uncover potential drug trafficking related to abortion pills.

Eleven domestic workers have been arrested in Hong Kong under suspicions of "child destruction" and involvement in illegal abortions, according to police reports. The women, aged between 30 and 40, were taken into custody after one was discovered at her employer’s residence with a deceased fetus, verified to be at least 28 weeks old. Authorities also discovered drugs they believed to be abortion pills, which led to the identification of ten additional suspects.

Out of the eleven women, five are facing charges while another five have received bail, and one remains in custody pending further investigation. If convicted on the most serious charge of child destruction, they could face life imprisonment. This investigation commenced in June when paramedics were summoned to assist a 39-year-old domestic worker who collapsed while working. Upon arriving, they found the fetus concealed in a laundry basket in her room, which had not been born alive.

During questioning, the woman disclosed that she had procured the abortion pills from a friend, also a foreign domestic worker. Following her arrest in July, law enforcement executed a series of raids between July 29 and August 8, which resulted in the detention of eight additional domestic workers. Inspector Lam Ho-yin of the Yuen Long district crime squad suggested that the operation did not seem to be organized by a syndicate. Instead, preliminary evidence indicated that a 32-year-old foreign domestic worker had allegedly smuggled the drugs back from abroad and was involved in selling them.

The specific accusations against each woman have not been disclosed, and the police have not revealed their nationalities. In Hong Kong, abortion is legalized but strictly regulated; it is permissible only under specific conditions if the pregnancy endangers the mother’s life or health, or if there is severe fetal abnormality—limited to 24 weeks. Abortions after 24 weeks can only be performed if the mother’s life is at risk, with those found guilty of supplying or consuming abortion drugs potentially facing sentences of up to seven years in prison.

As the investigation continues, police have advised employers to encourage their domestic workers to consult medical professionals if they are aware of any pregnancies. As of government statistics, Hong Kong accommodates around 368,000 foreign domestic workers, with a significant proportion hailing from the Philippines and Indonesia. They typically receive a government-fixed minimum wage of HK$4,990 (approximately US$636; £473).