Kenya: Belgian nationals plead guilty to smuggling protected ants

Africanews (in English)

Kenya: Belgian nationals plead guilty to smuggling protected ants  Kenya Wildlife Services described the case as a "landmark" trail, which "highlights a growing global threat to biopiracy of native species"  READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2025/04/15/kenya-belgian-nationals-plead-guilty-to-smuggling-protected-ants  Subscribe on our Dailymotion channel and receive all the latest news from the continent.    Africanews is available in English and French.  Website : www.africanews.com  Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/africanews.channel/  Twitter : https://twitter.com/africanews

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00:00four suspects including three foreign nationals pleaded guilty to a charge of trafficking highly

00:07sought-after ants out of kenya the men two belgians a vietnamese and a kenyan were

00:14arraigned in court tuesday they were arrested at the international airport in nairobi for

00:20the illegal possession and trafficking of live queen ants to sell as exotic pets they'll be

00:25sentenced on april 23rd kenya's wildlife agency described the case as a landmark trial

00:32the agency said it highlighted the growing threat of biopiracy of native species

00:38authorities say the insects were meticulously concealed in specially modified test tubes

00:44and syringes packed with cotton wool allowing them to survive for up to two months

00:49a single insect can fetch up to 200 dollars on the black market the giant african harvester ants

00:57are native to kenya tanzania and ethiopia in kenya the ants are protected under international

01:04biodiversity treaties and their capture and trade are strictly regulated

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