In a bizarre twist on wildlife trafficking, a Kenyan court has sentenced four individuals—including two Belgian teenagers—to a year in prison or a fine of $7,700 (£5,800) each for attempting to smuggle thousands of rare, live ants out of the country.
The group, which also includes a Vietnamese national and a Kenyan citizen, was arrested last month in Naivasha, a scenic tourist town in western Kenya. Authorities seized a total of 5,300 ants, among them the highly prized giant African harvester species.
Kenyan officials believe the ants were being trafficked to exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia, where a single ant can reportedly fetch as much as £170 ($220).
The convicted individuals are 19-year-olds Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx from Belgium, Vietnamese citizen Duh Hung Nguyen, and Kenyan national Dennis Ng’ang’a. The Belgian pair was found with 5,000 ants in their possession, while Nguyen and Ng’ang’a had 300.
All four pleaded guilty, insisting the insects were collected as a hobby and that they were unaware of breaking any laws. The court, however, rejected the defense, citing the large number of ants and their significant market value as evidence of organized smuggling.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), which led the investigation, praised the verdict. “This case marks a disturbing shift in smuggling trends—from iconic species like elephants to lesser-known but ecologically critical insects,” a spokesperson said.
The teenagers had entered Kenya on tourist visas and were staying in Naivasha, a region known for its lakes, wildlife, and now, apparently, ant smugglers.
