Smuggling wildlife usually brings to mind elephants or exotic birds—but ants?
That’s exactly what authorities in Nairobi say they uncovered in a surprising airport bust.
A Chinese national, Zhang Kequn, and his Kenyan associate Charles Mwangi have been charged with illegally trading wildlife.
Officials allegedly found more than 2,000 live queen garden ants hidden in luggage at the city’s international airport.
Each ant was carefully packed—either tucked into test tubes or wrapped in tissue.
Why would anyone smuggle ants across continents?
Kenyan officials say demand for queen ants has been quietly rising in parts of Europe and Asia.
Hobbyists keep them as unusual pets or build elaborate ant colonies at home.
According to prosecutors, Zhang bought the insects from Mwangi for 10,000 Kenyan shillings per 100 ants—about $77.
Both men have pleaded not guilty and remain in custody.
Their lawyer, David Lusweti, insists the pair didn’t realize they were breaking the law.
“They saw a business opportunity,” he told the Associated Press, suggesting they believed exporting the insects could earn them a living.
Authorities at the Kenya Wildlife Service say the investigation is widening, with more arrests possible.
A reminder, perhaps, that in the strange world of wildlife trafficking, even the smallest creatures can spark a big international case.
