A Chinese national has been arrested in Kenya after authorities discovered more than 2,000 live queen ants hidden in his luggage at Nairobi’s main international airport.
The suspect, identified as Zhang Kequn, was stopped by security officers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi while preparing to board a flight to China, BBC report.
Prosecutors told a Kenyan court that the ants were carefully concealed in test tubes and tissue paper rolls inside his personal luggage.
“Within his personal luggage there were 1,948 garden ants packed in specialised test tubes,” prosecutor Allen Mulama said during the court hearing. “A further 300 live ants were recovered concealed in three rolls of tissue paper within the luggage.”
Authorities believe the insects belong to the species Messor cephalotes, commonly known as giant African harvester ants. The species is protected under international biodiversity agreements, and its trade is strictly regulated.
Officials from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) say the case may be linked to a wider trafficking network involved in harvesting ants for collectors in Europe and Asia.
A senior KWS official, Duncan Juma, said investigators expect further arrests as they expand their investigation to other parts of Kenya where ant harvesting is suspected.
“The investigation is ongoing and may lead to more arrests,” Mr Juma told the BBC.
Prosecutors have asked the court for permission to examine the suspect’s electronic devices, including his phone and laptop, as part of the investigation.
The court has granted detectives five days to detain Mr Zhang while inquiries continue.
The case comes after a similar incident last year when a Kenyan court sentenced four men, including two Belgians, a Vietnamese national and a Kenyan to one year in prison or a fine for attempting to smuggle thousands of queen ants out of the country.
Wildlife officials warn that removing large numbers of the insects from the wild could harm ecosystems. Giant African harvester ants play an important role in soil health and biodiversity.
