A Chinese national was arrested at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after authorities discovered nearly 2,300 live queen garden ants in his luggage, bound for China. Zhang Kequn, 32, was intercepted during a routine security check, with some ants packed in test tubes and others hidden inside tissue paper rolls. Prosecutors told the court that Zhang is suspected of masterminding an ant-trafficking ring broken up in Kenya last year, which had already led to convictions of four other smugglers. The ants, scientifically known as Messor cephalotes, are protected under international biodiversity treaties, and their trade is tightly regulated due to their ecological importance in soil health. The Kenya Wildlife Service said the seizure is part of a broader crackdown on illegal ant harvesting, which supplies exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia. Investigators have obtained court approval to examine Zhang’s electronic devices and are expected to pursue further arrests.
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