Authorities in Kenya have detained a Chinese citizen after discovering more than 2,200 living ants hidden in his travel bags at the country’s busiest airport, marking another case in what officials describe as an increasing pattern of insect trafficking.
Zhang Kequn, age 27, was taken into custody at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Tuesday as he attempted to depart Kenya, according to court documents reviewed by Reuters on Thursday. Airport immigration personnel had placed a “stop order” on Zhang’s travel documents following his escape from authorities in the country the previous year.
Collectors who are passionate about ants often spend substantial amounts of money to house colonies in large clear containers called formicariums, providing observers with direct access to view the insects’ intricate social behaviors and organizational systems.
In the previous year, four individuals each received fines totaling $7,700 for attempting to illegally transport thousands of ants that play important roles in Kenya’s natural environment, a case that specialists indicated represents a transition in wildlife trafficking from traditional items like elephant tusks to more obscure species.
Authorities reported that when they examined Zhang’s belongings, they found 2,238 ants total, with 1,948 stored inside test tubes and the remaining insects wrapped in three bundles of “soft tissue papers”.
Officials stated that Zhang had spent two weeks in Kenya and had identified three associates who provided him with the insects.
The Kenya Wildlife Service informed the court that additional time was required to finish their investigation, which includes analyzing an iPhone and MacBook that were confiscated from Zhang.
Wildlife officials also revealed that authorities in Bangkok intercepted a similar shipment of ants on Tuesday that had originated from Kenya, suggesting the presence of an extensive and coordinated ant trafficking operation.
