US EditionKenya: Belgian Teens, Vietnamese and Kenyan to Pay Sh1mn Fine in Ant Smuggling Case
- In Kenya, four individuals—including two Belgian teenagers, a Vietnamese national, and a Kenyan—were convicted in 2025 for illegally transporting more than 5,000 live giant African harvester ants.
- The smuggling stemmed from growing demand in exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia, with the ants trafficked in specialized containers to evade airport detection.
- The court noted the high ecological value of Messor cephalotes ants, seized in over 2,200 test tubes and syringes, and described the offense as a significant example of biopiracy.
- Each convict received a one-year prison sentence or a Ksh 1 million fine after pleading guilty, with magistrate Njeri Thuku emphasizing the seriousness of the wildlife crime.
- The conviction highlights Kenya's commitment to combating biopiracy targeting lesser-known species and urges stricter laws to deter wildlife trafficking syndicates diversifying their targets.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Kenya: four traffickers of ants convicted by the courts
In Kenya, four people were convicted on Wednesday, May 7, for attempting to illegally export 5,000 live ants in test tubes. The loot is estimated to be up to €6,700 for resale, according to the courts. By April, these individuals had been arrested for illegal possession and suspected trafficking in wildlife in Nakuru, central Kenya. In the territory, wild animals are strictly protected and any trade requires a permit. But this does not prevent t…
Newcastle Herald
Kenya court convicts and fines four ant traffickers
A Kenyan court has fined four men about $12,000 each for attempting to traffic thousands of ants out...
Kenya court fines four men for trafficking thousands of queen ants
A Kenyan court on Wednesday fined four men $7,700 each for trying to traffic thousands of ants valuable to the country’s ecosystem, in cases experts say signal a shift in biopiracy from trophies like elephant ivory to lesser-known species.
Rare-ant smugglers sentenced in African state
The international group was caught with 5,000 insects in Kenya, including rare Messor cephalotes, destined for pet markets abroadA 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
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