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A woman from the Tunisia's Mahdia governorateÌýhas been for puttingÌýherÌý up for adoption in exchange for money, authorities said on Monday.

Two of the children, whose births out of wedlock are considered a social taboo,Ìýwere sold and two others were given up for adoption,ÌýFarid bin Juha, aÌýspokesperson for the MonastirÌýand Mahdiya courts, confirmed toÌý°®Âþµº's Arabic-language service.

According to Tunisian law, the exchangeÌýfell underÌýÌýlaws,ÌýBin Juha said.

"The mother entered an adoption clinic and presented a fake ID belonging to the woman who would receive her baby, so that the baby could be registered in the new parents' names without adoption procedures being followed," said bin Juha.

Bin Juha also stated that one of the younger infants wasÌý"handed to a children's care home". No details were given regarding the olderÌýchildren's whereabouts.

The mother and all couplesÌýlinked to the alleged crime have been arrested and may faceÌýprison sentences of up to 15 years.

Although theÌýwoman gave birth to the children outside of wedlock, she later married their father, who exposed her alleged criminal activities following a dispute with her.Ìý