Cops have arrested a mother who is believed to have had 10 children and sold eight of them in order to get money to buy drugs.

When she was arrested she only had one left, with a second child found to be living with its father.

Police had arrested her after they found she had sold her latest baby daughter for BRL 200 (GBP 27.60) so she could buy drugs.

They then discovered that the woman identified as Marilza Medeiros da Conceicao, whose age was not given, had given birth 10 times, but only had one child left with a second living with its father.

They now suspect that she may have sold the others as well and are investigating the case.

Conceicao was arrested in the city of Sao Pedro da Aldeia in the south-eastern Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday, 27th July.

Police chief Milton Siqueira Junior said: “The inquiry dates from April of last year. She sold her one-and-a-half-month-old daughter.

“The child was found at the time in Saquarema, Regiao dos Lagos (Lakes Region), and handed over to the Child Services to be taken care of.

“Now, she has 10 more children, but only one was with her, the other is with its father, and we are investigating if she also sold the others.”

The police chief revealed that Conceicao was arrested for the crime of ‘promising or carrying out the delivery of a child to a third party, upon payment or reward’.

The woman who bought the child was identified as 42-year-old Elizangela da Silva Pacheco, who also faces punishment.

According to judge Marcio da Costa Dantas, Pacheco will have to carry out community service for six months.

She will also be made to pay three months’ minimum wages – the equivalent of BRL 3,300 (GBP 456) – to a local NGO called Patotinha da Aldeia, which helps to educate children.

The drugs Conceicao allegedly bought with the proceeds from the sale of her child were described as “narcotics”.

The investigation is ongoing.