Sofia - Bulgarian authorities have made a series of arrests in a swoop on a suspected baby-trafficking ring, local newspapers reported Thursday.

The gang are believed to have "purchased" new-born babies from poverty-stricken mothers in Bulgaria, and then sold them on, either to couples in Bulgaria or in neighbouring Greece.

Two lawyers and their assistants were arrested in a raid on the suspected trafficking of 16 babies, the reports said.

Baby boys for allegedly sold on for 40,000 euros (41,500 dollars) and girls for 30,000 euros to Greece, although prices were slightly cheaper for those sold on domestically.

The pregnant mothers were offered less than a tenth of that, it was reported.

The police raid came shortly after the United States criticized Bulgaria, among other Balkan countries, over its inability to stop human-trafficking.

Bulgaria and its northern neighbour Romania joined the European Union in 2007, becoming the southeastern gateway of both business and organised crime to the 27-nation bloc. (dpa)