Kenya Jails Four for Smuggling 5,000 Queen Ants

A Kenyan court has sentenced four men—two Belgians, a Vietnamese national, and a Kenyan—to one year in prison or a fine of $7,700 (approximately £5,800) for attempting to smuggle thousands of live queen ants out of the country.

The suspects were arrested last month with over 5,000 live queen ants, believed to be en route to collectors in Europe and Asia. The court heard that the ants, including the highly valuable giant African harvester species, were packed in over 2,000 test tubes with cotton wool to keep them alive for months.

Although the Belgian nationals claimed they were collecting the ants as a hobby and were unaware it was illegal, Magistrate Njeri Thuku emphasized the scale and seriousness of their actions. “Possessing 5,000 queen ants is far beyond a hobby,” she stated, highlighting the environmental risk posed by the illegal insect trade. “The world has already lost many species to greed. This court must protect all creatures, great and small.”

The four men—Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx (both 19, from Belgium), Duh Hung Nguyen (23, Vietnam), and Dennis Ng’ang’a (26, Kenya)—pleaded guilty. The court described Nguyen as a “courier” sent by someone else to collect the ants, while Ng’ang’a acted as a “broker” due to his local knowledge of the species.

David, an ant enthusiast with 10 colonies at home and a member of the Facebook group “Ant Gang,” told the court he had bought 2,500 ants for $200 and was searching for more when he was arrested. Lodewijckx said his interest was scientific and not intended for trafficking.

All three foreign nationals will be deported once they complete their sentence or pay the fine. They have 14 days to appeal the judgment.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) praised the ruling as a strong stance against wildlife trafficking and a recognition of the ecological importance of insects. “This case sends a clear message that Kenya will aggressively prosecute wildlife crimes, regardless of the species,” said the agency.

KWS also warned of the growing international demand for rare insects and emphasized that protected species like the giant African harvester ants are crucial for soil health and biodiversity.