Guatemala adoption centre scandal

A woman being led away from the adoption agency in Antigua [Reuters]

Nearly 50 young children have been rescued from an adoption centre in Guatemala amid claims they were either stolen or coerced from their parents’ care.

International adoption is big business – last year more than 4,000 infants were adopted by US couples from the Central American state, making it second only to China. Hundreds of thousands of dollars change hands.

What are the pros and cons of international adoption? How is it regulated? And just what are the implications for the children involved?

Inside Story investigates.

Watch this episode of Inside Story here:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Watch Inside Story at 17:30GMT on Al Jazeera English

This episode aired on 13 August 2007.

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