Kenya: Ant Smuggling Suspects Face Judgment Day on May 7
During a court session in Nairobi on Wednesday, a magistrate overseeing the case against four individuals accused of smuggling garden ants scheduled their sentencing for May 7, 2025.
Judge Njeri Thuku issued her decision following the receipt of the victim impact statement from the Kenya Wildlife Services personnel.
"In this case, the prosecution has taken an additional step by preparing a victim impact statement. I will now read its title: 'Illegal Ant Trafficking from Kenya to Asia, Europe, and America.' This document details why these live ants were smuggled, so I won’t be handing down a sentence today. Instead, the sentencing will occur on May 7th at 9:30 AM," she stated.
On April 5, Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, both 19 years old and apprehended for possessing 5,000 ants at an inn, looked distressed when they faced a magistrate in Nairobi. They found solace in the courthouse as family members offered them support.
The accused informed the magistrate that they were gathering the ants for amusement and were unaware that this activity was prohibited.
In an unrelated criminal case, Dennis Ng'ang'a from Kenya and Duh Hung Nguyen from Vietnam faced charges for unlawful ant smuggling in the same court room after they were apprehended with 400 ants in their possession.
According to the Kenya Wildlife Service, the four individuals were engaged in smuggling these ants to European and Asian markets. The species identified include messor cephalotes, a notable, sizable, and reddish-hued harvesting ant indigenous to Eastern Africa.
KWS stated in a release that the illicit exportation of these ants “undermines not just Kenya’s sovereignty over its biological diversity but also robs local communities and research organizations of possible ecological and economic advantages.”
Kenya has previously combated the trade of body parts from prominent large wildlife species like elephants, rhinos, and pangolins. However, the charges against these four individuals indicate “a change in smuggling patterns—from well-recognized big mammals to less familiar but ecologically vital species,” according to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
The arrest of the two individuals from Belgium took place in Kenya’s Nakuru County, an area known for hosting several national parks. During a search at their accommodation in a guesthouse, authorities discovered approximately 5,000 ants contained within 2,244 test tubes filled with cotton wool, allowing these insects to remain alive for many months.
The remaining two individuals were apprehended in Nairobi after it was discovered that they had 400 ants in their flats.
Kenyan officials estimated the value of the ants at 1 million shillings ($7,700). Prices for ants can differ significantly based on their species and the specific market.