Chinese National Arrested for Attempted Smuggling of 2,000 Queen Ants from Kenya
Suspect caught at Nairobi airport with over 2,000 queen garden ants bound for China.
- Zhang Kequn arrested for attempting to smuggle 2,248 live ants from Kenya.
- Ants are protected under international biodiversity laws; trade is highly regulated.
- Court allows five-day detention for further investigations into the trafficking network.
A Chinese man, Zhang Kequn, has been arrested at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi discovering a large consignment of live ants bound for China.
Prosecutor Allen Mulama told the court that 1,948 ants were found in specialised test tubes, while another 300 were concealed in tissue paper rolls inside Zhang’s luggage. Authorities also requested forensic examination of his phone and laptop to support the investigation.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) warned last year of growing demand for queen garden ants in Europe and Asia, where collectors keep them as pets. Duncan Juma, a senior KWS official, said further arrests are expected as investigations expand to other towns suspected of ant harvesting.
In a precedent-setting case last May, a Kenyan court sentenced four individuals—two Belgians, a Vietnamese, and a Kenyan—to one year in prison or fines for attempting to smuggle live queen ants. Investigators now believe Zhang masterminded that trafficking ring but evaded capture last year using a different passport.
The court has granted prosecutors five days to detain Zhang while detectives conduct further investigations. KWS emphasized the ecological importance of these ants, noting that their removal could disrupt soil health and local biodiversity. The seized ants were believed destined for exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia.
