Story By:  Gheorghi Caraseni, Sub Editor:  Joseph Golder,  Agency: Central European News

This is the moment Russian cops discover five illegal surrogate babies in a Moscow flat that were destined to be trafficked to China but could not be delivered because of the coronavirus lockdown.

The officers found the five babies on Argunovskaya Street in the Russian capital Moscow yesterday (Tuesday) where they were being cared for by two Chinese nannies.

The tots are believed to have been born to surrogate mothers but police were unable to confirm this because the babies had no documentation to show who their parents were.

According to reports, the officers went to the scene after they received a call that babies’ cries could be heard there for the last couple of weeks.

Local residents reported that they had seen the Chinese women walking several babies in prams, and noted that they had never seen the tots’ parents.

The Russian Investigative Committee reports that the youngest baby was just six weeks old while the eldest was three months old.

The footage shows officials searching through the flat before the babies are carried away from the building by police.

They were later given a checkup and all were given a clean bill of health.

The two nannies, whose names have not been reported but who are of Chinese nationality, were reportedly detained and placed in pre-trial detention centre.

A criminal case was opened based on Article 127 Part 1 of the Russian Criminal Code for human trafficking. If found guilty, and if they can all be found, those involved face up to six years behind bars.

The investigation is ongoing.