Ant smuggling is emerging as the new front in the fight against wildlife traffiking. Kenyan police recently raided a national park guesthouse aimed to bust an ant smuggling ring in Naivasha, Kenya.
As reported by local authorities, two Belgian teenagers, along with a Vietnamese man and a Kenyan national, were arrested for wildlife trafficking. They were found with approximately 5,000 ants at the guest house which were kept in test tubes containing cotton wool–creating an environment that, according to authorities, will keep the insects alive for weeks.
Transnational ant smuggling ring dismantled in Kenya
According to authorities, the ants were likely destined for formicariums—large transparent glass enclosures designed to replicate natural ant habitats. Often used in research, these artificial environments allow for the observation of colony behavior. Ant aficionados—including hobbyists, amateur naturalists, and scientists—use formicariums to watch ants build and maintain complex colonies.
The case has raised questions about whether the attempted heist was a one-time act by amateur enthusiasts or part of a larger network of wildlife traffickers seeking to explore new products and markets.
It is important to highlight, as Dino Martins (Director of the Turkana Basin Institute and one of Kenya’s leading insect experts) points out, that “while ant exports are permitted from Kenya with license, navigating the regulations can be challenging.”
The two Belgian teenagers–who entered the country on a tourist visa–were identified as Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, both 18 years old. They will be sentenced on May 7 by Kenyan court for violating wildlife conservation laws.
The ants were worth thousands of dollars as some specimens like the giant African harvester ants can be sold up to $220.
Belgian teenagers among main suspects
One of the teenagers, David Lornoy, said during trial “we are not criminals, we are 18 years old, we are naïve, and I just want to go home to start my life.” Although Njeri Thuku, the magistrate leading the case, said she will not rush the case but will take the time to review environmental impact and psychological reports filed in court before passing the sentence, the Kenya Wildlife Service said, “the case signals a landmark shift in biopiracy trends from iconic large mammals to lesser-known species that are no less ecologically critical. This case represents far more than insect smuggling.”
Erustus Kanga, director general of KWS also added, “we are seeing organized crime syndicates diversify from traditional ivory poaching to target our entire biodiversity-from medicinal plants, insects to micro-organisms”, he said in a public statement in relation to this case.
Also speaking out on the case was Samuel Mutua, a wildlife expert at the International Fund for Animal Welfare, he said “the ant case qualifies as organized crime. Irrespective of their age, they were able to get a lot of ants,” he said.
So far, those who have commented on the case—most of them experts—agree that, despite the young defendants’ claims of innocence in court, the evidence suggests underlying criminal intent. It remains to be seen what conclusion the judge overseeing this high-profile case in Kenya will ultimately reach.
Nevertheless, this unusual case has definitely shed new light on the booming global ant trade which authorities say is a growing trend of trafficking “less conspicuous” creatures.
The case has also sparked interest within the scientific community, raising concerns that the burgeoning trade in exotic ants could pose a significant biodiversity risk. Researchers across the globe warn that if ants are introduced outside of their native ranges, they could become invasive and trigger serious environmental and economic consequences.