The case involving the smuggling of garden ants through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) was Tuesday adjourned to April 23, 2025 for mention before the court.
The mention will serve among others receive the pre-sentencing report from the Probation Officer, receive an expert opinion from the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) and receive an expert opinion from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).
It will also confirm that all three reports have been duly filed before the court proceeds further.
The four suspects will in the meantime be detained at the Langata police station, the court ruled.
This case highlights Kenya’s commitment to combating illegal wildlife trafficking and biopiracy as well as protecting priceless biodiversity. Authorities remain vigilant in prosecuting such offenses in accordance with the law.
Prosecution led by Allen Mulama and Paula Rono told the court that the Belgians namely Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx were arrested on April 5, 2025, at around 10:00 a.m. at Jane Guest House in the Lake View area of Naivasha, Nakuru County.
The two were found in possession of approximately 5,000 live queen ants stored in 2,244 tubes, with an estimated street value of Sh1 million.
They were charged with dealing in wildlife species without a permit, contrary to Section 95(c) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, Cap 376, Laws of Kenya.
In a separate but related case, Vietnamese national Duh Hung Nguyen and Kenyan national Dennis Ng’ang’a were charged with illegal possession and trade of around 400 live queen ants, valued at Sh200,000.
The offense is reported to have occurred between the April 5, 2025 and April 6, 2025 at Hemak Towers Suite in Nairobi’s Central Business District and Tofina Muthama Apartments in Syokimau, Nairobi County.
All four accused appeared before Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku and entered guilty pleas.
The magistrate on April 15 ruled the case will be mentioned on April 23.
The families of the accused were in court.
The arrests were made after authorities intercepted live queen ants concealed in specially modified test tubes and syringes. This case not only marks a serious wildlife crime but also constitutes biopiracy, as it involves the unlawful access and attempted export of Kenya’s genetic resources without prior informed consent or benefit-sharing, in direct violation of national law and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing.
Investigations revealed that the test tubes had been designed to sustain the ants for up to two months and evade airport security detection, including X-ray scanners. Cotton wool was used to maintain the ants’ survival during transit, indicating a premeditated and well-executed trafficking operation. The suspects entered Kenya on tourist visas and, according to intelligence reports, intended to smuggle the ants to high-value exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia, where demand for rare insect species is rising.
The intercepted ants, particularly the highly sought-after Messor cephalotes, are prized by collectors for their unique behaviour, complex colony-building capabilities and greenhouse pest control. These traits make them popular in formicariums—artificial ant habitats—driving their illicit trade and illegal removal from the wild.
This case highlights a growing global threat: the biopiracy of native species. Biopiracy refers to the commercial exploitation or export of biological materials—such as plants, animals, and microorganisms—without fair compensation or benefit-sharing with the country of origin. In this instance, the unauthorized collection and export of Messor cephalotes not only undermines Kenya’s sovereign rights over its biodiversity but also deprives local communities and research institutions of potential ecological and economic benefits, including biopiracy.
As a signatory to the Nagoya Protocol, Kenya mandates prior informed consent and equitable benefit-sharing for any access to its genetic resources. The illicit actions of the suspects bypassed these legal and ethical requirements, constituting a double offense of wildlife trafficking and biopiracy.
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