Four individuals, including two Belgians, a Vietnamese national, and a Kenyan, are set to appear at the JKIA court over charges of trafficking live garden ants. Authorities say the suspects were caught with several live ants in violation of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013. They are scheduled to take a plea on April 14, 2025.
The case highlights Kenya’s increasing efforts to combat unconventional wildlife crimes. In a similar 2023 case, three suspects—Martin Nyota, Rose Wairimu, and Eunice Muthoni—were charged with illegally exporting safari ants worth Sh300,000 to France. The ants had been falsely declared as handcrafted plastic and wooden jewelry. The trio denied the charges and were released on bail.
Kenya Wildlife Service has reaffirmed its commitment to curbing the trafficking of protected species.
