2 days ago
In Kenya, two young Belgians sentenced for attempting to illegally export around 5,000 ants
David L. and Seppe L., two Belgian teenagers from Mol in the province of Antwerp, became internationally known on April 5: Kenyan police from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, accompanied by inspectors from the Kenya Wildlife Service, discovered about 5,000 ants stored in syringes and test tubes in their hotel room in Naivasha, Northwest of Nairobi.
The two friends, ages 19 and 18, claimed at the time that they were unaware that capturing these insects was illegal under Kenyan law and that they were simply pursuing a "hobby." This version has since been widely challenged following investigations by the Belgian press.
Appearing before a magistrate on charges of "biopiracy" in mid-April, the two Belgians cited their "stupidity" and "naivety." Appearing in court alongside a Vietnamese and a Kenyan national, they were let off with a relatively light sentence and each was fined €6,800 on May 7, before being allowed to return to Belgium the following day.
Highly sought after by enthusiasts
Kenyan law imposes fines of up to €140,000, and even prison sentences, for trafficking in species that could disrupt the ecosystem. Penalties can be even harsher elsewhere. An Italian man and his son were fined €188,000 in Sri Lanka for attempting to export various insects in 2024, while in 2019, a Japanese butterfly and cockroach enthusiast was sentenced to two years in prison in Ecuador.
