Rare garden ants hidden in luggage lead to major wildlife bust in Kenya

International

THOUSANDS of live ants packed in test tubes and concealed in tissue rolls were discovered in a traveller’s luggage at Nairobi’s main airport, leading to the arrest of a Chinese national accused of attempting to smuggle the insects out of Kenya.

Zhang Kequn was stopped during a routine security check at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, where authorities found more than 2,200 live queen ants hidden in his bags, reportedly bound for China.

“Within his personal luggage there was found 1,948 garden ants packed in specialised test tubes,” prosecutor

Allen Mulama told the court, as quoted by the BBC.

He added that another 300 ants were concealed in tissue paper rolls and asked for permission to examine Zhang’s phone and laptop for forensic evidence as part of the investigation.

Duncan Juma, a senior official with the Kenya Wildlife Service, said authorities expect additional arrests as the investigation widens into other regions of Kenya suspected of ant harvesting. He noted that the insects, garden ants scientifically known as Messor cephalotes, are increasingly sought after in Europe and Asia, where collectors maintain them as pets.

This case follows a similar prosecution last year when a Kenyan court sentenced four men, two Belgians, a Vietnamese citizen and a Kenyan, to either one year in prison or a $7,700 fine for attempting to smuggle thousands of queen ants.

The Belgians told the court they had collected the ants as a hobby and were unaware the activity was illegal. Investigators now believe Zhang may have been the mastermind behind that trafficking network and that he previously left Kenya using a different passport.

On Wednesday, the court permitted prosecutors to detain Zhang for five days while detectives carry out further investigations. While the Kenya Wildlife Service is better known for protecting larger species such as lions and elephants, officials described last year’s ruling as a “landmark case,” emphasizing the ecological importance of giant African harvester ants.

Authorities say these insects, including the recent haul, play a vital role in soil health and biodiversity and were likely destined for exotic pet markets across Europe and Asia.(MyTVCebu)