Smuggling of 5,000 African ants cost two young men the maximum penalty in Kenya

Lebanon today is in a remarkable development in the field of combating environmental crimes, a Kenyan court issued a strict ruling against four accused, including Belgian teenagers, after being convicted of trying to smuggle more than 5,000 rare African anti -Mysor Cephalotes, which are protected species in Kenya. Details of the case were arrested by the Belgians Lorenoy David and Sibi Ludiix, both of whom are 19 years old, in a guest house in Nakuru Province on April 5, 2025. They were found in possession of 5,000 live ants stored in more than 2,200 test tubes and a modified injection specifically to ensure that ants remain alive during the transport, indicating the process of smuggling the planning court . In a separate case, the Vietnamese Ngawin Di Hong and the Kenyan Dennis Naganga were arrested in Nairobi with 400 live ants. The rulings issued on May 7, 2025, the court ruled that each of the four defendants fined the amount of $ 7,700 or imprisoned for one year, after being convicted of illegally smuggling wildlife. Environmental and economic dimensions The Kenyan Wildlife Authority (KWS) indicated that this issue is a shift in the pattern of environmental crimes, as the focus is transmitted from large known animals to smaller species but of great environmental importance, such as ants and the Messor Cephalotes ant US dollars. The reactions of the accused, the defendants, especially the Belgian, expressed their remorse during the court sessions, stressing that they were not aware of the local laws and that they gathered ants motivated by the hobby. However, the court saw that the evidence indicates a clear commercial intention and a court smuggling plan. Future warnings have warned the Kenyan authorities that the smuggling of biological species, even small ones, poses a threat to biological diversity and the local economy, calling for tightening control and educating the public about the importance of preserving wildlife. This issue is highlighted by the urgent need to enhance international efforts to combat wildlife smuggling, including unknown species on a large scale, to ensure the protection of environmental systems and global biological diversity.

Read also: Raising the minimum wage raises controversy, warnings of exacerbation of popular anger