NAIROBI, Kenya – A Chinese national was apprehended at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Kenyan authorities over charges of attempting to smuggle out of Kenya thousands of live ants from Kenya.
The suspect was apprehended by security personnel while in the process of leaving for China. The man, identified as a 27-yar old Zhang Kequn was found in possession of several packets containing live ants in his checked-in baggage as per documents presented before the court.
Investigators found that the live ants were packaged in a range of small vessels, including test tubes and tightly bound tissue paper-with the intent of smuggling them undetected to China.
Authorities suspect the ants were intended for collectors and scientists abroad, where specific rare species of ants can command prices of thousands of dollars to buyers who raise the ants in contained environments called formicariums.
The discovery of the insects raises alarm among wildlife authorities about changing trends in the illegal wildlife trade networks. Once they were exclusively focused on ivory, rhino horn and rosewood, they are now focusing on species such as insects, which perform crucial roles in ecological cycles.
Officials of the Kenya Wildlife Service requested for additional time to thoroughly examine the suspects’ digital devices, including a laptop and mobile phone that were confiscated by the authorities, which may assist in tracing the suspect’s possible contacts with other suspects in a possible illegal smuggling network.
Investigating officials also stated that the suspect has cited some other suspects he says were responsible in supplying the insects while he was in Kenya.
The incident is a manifestation of the increasing problem of biopiracy where precious species of flora and fauna are poached and smuggled out of countries for sale on the global market.
The suspect has since appeared before the court and remains under investigation, while investigations into any potential accomplices is ongoing.
