Kenyan authorities have arrested a Chinese national at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after more than 2,000 live queen ants were discovered hidden in his luggage. The suspect, identified as Zhang Kequn, was stopped during a security check while preparing to board a flight from Nairobi to China. Prosecutors told a court that the insects were carefully concealed in test tubes and rolls of tissue paper packed inside his bags. Investigators said 1,948 ants were stored in specialized test tubes, while another 300 were hidden in three tissue rolls. The ants were identified as Messor cephalotes, a species whose international trade is regulated due to its ecological importance.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said the insects are increasingly sought after by collectors in Europe and Asia, where exotic ant species are kept as pets or for private insect collections. Authorities suspect the attempted smuggling may be linked to a larger wildlife trafficking network uncovered in Kenya last year. Investigators are examining the suspect’s electronic devices as part of a broader probe, and officials say additional arrests could follow. A Kenyan court has granted prosecutors permission to detain Zhang for five days while the investigation continues. Wildlife officials warn that removing large numbers of giant African harvester ants from the wild could disrupt ecosystems. The species plays a key role in soil aeration, seed dispersal and maintaining biodiversity, making it vital to local environmental health.
