A Hyderabad Police Task Force on Saturday raided an infertility centre that allegedly conducted illegal surrogacy operations, The New Indian Express reported. Officials said at least 45 women, who were surrogate mothers, were confined for nine months to a space above Sai Kiran Infertility Centre, which did not have the required authority to conduct the procedures.

The accused allegedly rented out wombs for around Rs 15 lakh to Rs 30 lakh and were paying the women only Rs 3 lakh, Task Force Deputy Commissioner of Police Limba Reddy told the English daily. Officials said the illegal operations included brokers, as well.

“Fearing that the surrogate mothers would run away, they were confined to the hospital. The women used to be provided with Rs 10,000 as subsistence allowance,” Reddy said. The rest of their payment was made after the delivery. Officials also suspect a cross-border angle as one of the women found at the site said she was from Nepal.

The raid was conducted in collaboration with the Hyderabad district medical and health office. Authorities found that the organisation had very little documentation on the mothers and the newborns.