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Russia Today
10-05-2025
- Russia Today
Rare-ant smugglers sentenced in African state
A Kenyan court has sentenced four individuals to one year in prison or a fine of $7,700 each for attempting to illegally export thousands of live ants, including a rare species, the BBC reported on Wednesday. The convicted individuals, two Belgian nationals, one Vietnamese, and a Kenyan, were apprehended last month in Naivasha, a town in western Kenya, where they were found in possession of approximately 5,000 queen ants. Among the species collected was Messor cephalotes, a rare variety also referred to as the Giant African Harvester Ant. During the court proceedings, the accused pleaded guilty and claimed they were unaware that collecting the ants for hobbyist purposes was a criminal offense. However, the presiding judge noted in Wednesday's ruling that the quantity and type of ants involved indicated a deliberate effort to exploit valuable wildlife, adding that the offenders were not simply in possession of a few specimens. According to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the seized ants were reportedly intended for exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia. The smuggled ants, according to dealers in the UK, can be worth as much as £170 ($220) apiece. Commenting on the insects' popularity, Pat Stanchev, the general manager of the insect-trading website Best Ants UK, told the BBC that their appeal lies in their distinctive and beautiful appearance. KWS revealed that the suspects had prepared test tubes capable of sustaining the ants for up to two months, specifically to bypass airport screening procedures. The organization described the operation as 'premeditated' and called it a landmark in trafficking trends that shift from traditional poaching of large mammals toward lesser-known species. One of the Belgian nationals, David Lornoy, told Reuters that the group had not intended to violate any laws. 'We did not come here to break any laws. By accident and stupidity we did,' he said, appealing for leniency. Messor cephalotes is a monogynous ant species, with colonies numbering up to 5,000 workers. They primarily consume seeds, which they gather and store, playing a crucial role in seed dispersal and soil aeration. Queens of the species can reach sizes of 22 to 25 millimeters.
BBC News
07-05-2025
- BBC News
Kenyan court sentences ant smugglers to $7,700 fine or one-year in prison
International gang sentenced for smuggling thousands of ants in Kenya Just now Share Save Share Save Reuters The four suspects – two Belgians, a Vietnamese and a Kenyan - had pleaded guilty A Kenyan court has sentenced four men to one year in prison or pay a fine of $7,700 (£5,800) for trying to smuggle thousands of live ants out of the country. The four suspects – two Belgians, a Vietnamese and a Kenyan – were arrested last month with 5,000 ants at a guest house in the western town of Naivasha. They had pleaded guilty to the charges and told the court that they were collecting the highly sought-after ants as a hobby and didn't think it was illegal. But delivering the sentence on Wednesday, the court said the particular species of ants collected was valuable and they had thousands of them — not just a few. It is believed that the ants were intended for exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia. The contraband included giant African harvester ants, which are valued by some UK dealers at up to £170 ($220) each. Belgian nationals Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, both 19, Vietnamese national Duh Hung Nguyen and Kenyan Dennis Ng'ang'a, were handed similar terms after the magistrate considered their mitigation arguments. The Belgians were found with 5,000 ants, while Nguyen and Ng'ang'a had 300. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), which is more used to protecting larger creatures, such as lions and elephants, has described this as a "landmark case". The case showed a "disturbing shift in trafficking patterns - from iconic mammals to lesser-known species that are vital to ecological balance", the KWS said last month when the four were arrested. The Belgian teens had entered Kenya on a tourist visa and were staying in Naivasha, a town popular with tourists for its animal parks and lakes. The KWS said the demand for rare insect species was growing. In Kenya, the ants are protected by international bio-diversity treaties and their trade is highly regulated. You may also be interested in: Getty Images/BBC Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
