Childless Greek couple arrested on suspicion of buying baby Roma girl

The arrests come amid an international investigation after another couple in Greece were found living with a five or six-year-old girl known as “Maria” who was not their daughter.

A police statement said the couple arrested in Athens on suspicion of child abduction were taken into custody on Wednesday. It said they allegedly paid a Roma woman 4,000 euros (£3,400) for the baby. Police claim the suspects, aged 53 and 48, unsuccessfully tried to register the infant as their daughter.

Authorities are looking for the baby’s birth parents and potential intermediaries in the alleged transaction.

Bulgarian authorities are trying to establish whether a local Roma woman is the mother of Maria. The woman has been tested for a DNA match and served with preliminary charges of child selling.

Child abduction charges were also brought against the couple with whom Maria was found living in a Roma settlement outside Farsala, central Greece, a week ago. They have been jailed pending trial, and are also suspected of fraudulently obtaining birth certificates for 14 children.

Greek authorities are trying to work out whether the children all exist, or whether the alleged document fraud was part of a welfare scam – the couple allegedly received more than 2,500 euros (£2,130) a month in benefits.

They insist they were looking after Maria with their own five children after an informally arranged adoption.