Greek police arrest couple for 'buying baby'

A childless couple have been arrested by Greek police in Athens on suspicion of buying an eight-month-old Roma girl and trying to register her as their own.

The arrests come amid an international investigation after another couple in Greece were found living with a little girl who was not their daughter.

Bulgarian authorities are trying to establish whether a local Roma woman is the mother of that girl, who is aged five or six and known as “Maria”.

A Greek 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 for the baby.

Police claim the suspects, aged 53 and 48, unsuccessfully tried to register the infant as their daughter.