Belgian Teens Arrested with 5,000 Smuggled Ants as Kenyan Agents Bust Plot to Smuggle Giant Ants For Sale to Foreign Insect Lovers

Samples of garden ants concealed in syringes are presented to the court as two Belgian nationals, a Vietnamese, and a Kenyan national appeared for the hearing of their case, in Nairobi

Two 19-year-old Belgian nationals, Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, were charged with wildlife piracy after being found with over 5,000 ants packed in thousands of test tubes in Kenya. The arrest, which took place on April 5 at a guest house in Nakuru County, highlights an emerging trend in the trafficking of small and lesser-known species for international markets.

Appearing visibly distressed during their court appearance in Nairobi, the teenagers were comforted by relatives as they claimed they were collecting the ants for fun and were unaware that their actions were illegal under Kenyan law. Authorities, however, believe their activities were part of a broader international wildlife trafficking operation targeting rare insect species.

Belgian nationals Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx look on during the hearing of their case after they pleaded guilty to illegal possession and trafficking of garden ants, in Nairobi

In a related case, two other men—Dennis Ng’ang’a of Kenya and Duh Hung Nguyen of Vietnam—were also charged with illegal wildlife trafficking after authorities discovered 400 ants in their Nairobi apartments. All four individuals are accused of attempting to smuggle the ants, including the red-colored Messor cephalotes, a large harvester ant native to East Africa, to buyers in European and Asian markets.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) stated that the illegal exportation of these ants represents a significant threat to national biodiversity and deprives local communities and research institutions of potential ecological and economic benefits. KWS noted that the shift in trafficking patterns—from large iconic mammals such as elephants and rhinos to lesser-known but ecologically vital species like ants—reflects changing dynamics in wildlife crime.

Vietnamese national Duh Hung Nyugen and Kenyan Dennis Ng'ang'a look on during the hearing of their case after they pleaded guilty to illegal possession and trafficking of garden ants, in Nairobi

The 5,000 ants confiscated from the Belgian nationals were discovered housed in 2,244 test tubes lined with cotton wool, designed to preserve the ants for extended periods. Authorities valued the insects at approximately 1 million Kenyan shillings, equivalent to $7,700, though market prices for ants vary significantly depending on species and demand.

Experts emphasize the critical role ants play in ecosystems, including enriching soil, aiding seed germination, and serving as a food source for birds and other wildlife. Philip Muruthi, Vice President for Conservation at the African Wildlife Foundation in Nairobi, warned about the ecological risks associated with the unregulated trade of insects, including the potential spread of disease and disruption of native ecosystems in importing countries.

A relative of Belgian national Lornoy David reacts during a hearing in a case where David and another Belgian national Seppe Lodewijckx pleaded guilty to illegal possession and trafficking of garden ants, Nairobi

“When you see a healthy forest, like Ngong Forest, you don’t think about what is making it healthy. It is the relationships all the way from the bacteria to the ants to the bigger things,” Muruthi said. He stressed the importance of regulating any form of wildlife trade to protect biodiversity and prevent unauthorized exploitation of natural resources.

Kenyan officials continue to investigate the case as part of broader efforts to combat wildlife crime in all its forms.

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