Two Belgian nationals, a Vietnamese citizen, and a Kenyan have pleaded guilty to charges of illegal possession and trade of live queen ants, marking a significant case in Kenya’s ongoing battle against unconventional wildlife crimes.
The case, heard at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Law Courts, highlights the growing issue of trafficking in lesser-known wildlife species.
The two Belgians, identified as Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, were arrested on April 5, 2025, at Jane Guest House in the Lake View area of Naivasha, Nakuru County.
The arrests took place around 10:00 a.m., following a tip-off. Authorities discovered approximately 5,000 live queen ants stored in 2,244 tubes in their possession, with an estimated street value of Sh1 million (approximately $7,750 USD).
The Belgians were charged with dealing in wildlife species without a permit, an offense under Section 95(c) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, Cap 376, Laws of Kenya.
In a related case, Vietnamese national Duh Hung Nguyen and Kenyan citizen Dennis Ng’ang’a were also charged with the illegal possession and trade of around 400 live queen ants, valued at Sh200,000 (approximately $1,550 USD).
Their offences occurred between April 5 and April 6, 2025, at Hemak Towers Suite in Nairobi’s Central Business District and Tofina Muthama Apartments in Syokimau, Nairobi County.
The prosecution, led by Allen Mulama and Paula Rono, presented the cases before Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku. All four accused entered guilty pleas during the hearing.
The court deferred the matter to April 15, 2025, to allow the prosecution to present the facts of the case and submit the physical exhibits, including the seized queen ants. The accused will remain in custody at the JKIA Police Station until the next hearing.
The case underscores Kenya’s heightened efforts to combat wildlife trafficking, even for species as small as ants, which are often overlooked in conservation efforts.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has been cracking down on such crimes, with previous incidents involving the trafficking of safari ants reported in 2023. In one instance, three suspects were charged with the illegal exportation of safari ants worth Sh300,000 to France, also at JKIA.
