Four Face Sentence for Illegal Ant Trafficking in Kenya
(MENAFN) A Kenyan court has handed down sentences to four individuals for attempting to illegally export thousands of live ants, including a rare species, according to a media report released on Wednesday. The group, comprised of two Belgian nationals, one Vietnamese citizen, and a Kenyan, received a one-year prison sentence or a fine of $7,700 each.
The arrests occurred last month in Naivasha, a town situated in western Kenya. Authorities discovered approximately 5,000 queen ants in their possession. Among the collected species was Messor cephalotes, a rare ant also known as the Giant African Harvester Ant.
In court, the accused confessed to the charges, claiming ignorance of the law prohibiting the collection of ants for personal hobbies.
Despite the defendants' claims of ignorance, the judge, in the Wednesday ruling, maintained that the large quantity and particular species of ants discovered pointed to a premeditated effort to exploit protected wildlife, underscoring that the individuals had more than just a small collection.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has revealed that the thousands of ants seized were allegedly destined for the exotic pet markets in Europe and Asia. According to UK-based dealers, these smuggled insects can fetch prices as high as £170 ($220) each.
Pat Stanchev, the head of Best Ants UK, an online marketplace for insects, told a news outlet that the ants' unique and attractive look makes them appealing to buyers.
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