Amsterdam  - A Belgian baby bought over the internet by a young Dutch couple in July has been handed over to Belgian authorities, the Dutch child protection service said Wednesday.

On November 27, a Dutch family court ruled that baby Jayden, as the now five-month-old child is known in the media, should be placed in foster care under Dutch state custody.

The court said the sale violated international adoption laws.

Baby Jayden was transferred from the Dutch couple to foster care in late November under the temporary custody ruling.

The Dutch child protection service and the Justice Ministry said in a joint statement that temporary custody would not be renewed because the child has a better future in his native Belgium.

Baby Jayden was bought on the internet by a Dutch couple. They paid an alleged sum of "between 5,000 and 10,000 euros" (6,500 and 13,000 dollars) to the infant's Belgian parents, aged 22 and 24.

The biological parents said they could not carry the financial burden of bringing up a second child.

The Dutch couple brought the baby boy to the Netherlands from Ghent, Belgium one day after his birth.

The case was brought to light by Dutch current affairs television programme Netwerk. (dpa)