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Chinese national arrested over attempt to smuggle 2,000 queen ants from Kenya
BBC ^
| 03 11 2026
| Wycliffe Muia
Posted on 03/13/2026 2:39:01 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
A Chinese national has been arrested in Kenya's main airport accused of attempting to smuggle more than 2,000 queen garden ants out of the country.
Zhang Kequn was intercepted during a security check at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in the capital Nairobi after authorities discovered a large consignment of live ants in his luggage bound for China.
He has yet to respond to the accusation but investigators said in court that he was linked to an ant-trafficking network that was broken up in Kenya last year.
The ants are protected by international bio-diversity treaties and their trade is highly regulated.
Last year, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) warned of a growing demand for garden ants ā scientifically known as Messor cephalotes - in Europe and Asia, where collectors keep them as pets.
A state prosecutor told the court on Wednesday that Zhang had packed some ants in test tubes, while others were concealed in tissue paper rolls hidden in his luggage.
SNIP
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: africa; ants; chinese; crime; queen; smuggling
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An ant as a pet. That was a Monty Python sketch. I believe that ant's name was Marcus.
To: yesthatjallen
RE: Risking all to smuggle ants....
Is that a hill worth dying on?
2
posted on
03/13/2026 2:41:06 PM PDT
by
frank ballenger
(There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
To: yesthatjallen
that Zhang had packed some ants in test tubes, while others were concealed in tissue paper rolls hidden in his luggage. And then he had the clever inspiration to hide thousands in his pants.
3
posted on
03/13/2026 2:43:33 PM PDT
by
frank ballenger
(There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
To: frank ballenger
4
posted on
03/13/2026 2:45:52 PM PDT
by
dfwgator
("I am Charlie Kirk!")
To: yesthatjallen
Then there was Eric. Eric the Half-a-Bee.
5
posted on
03/13/2026 2:49:21 PM PDT
by
BradyLS
(DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
To: frank ballenger
I looked them up on the interwebs and they sell for 2-300 euro so that many would be around a cool half million USD.
6
posted on
03/13/2026 2:50:50 PM PDT
by
Valpal1
(Yes, I did vote for this!)
To: frank ballenger
These are pretty big ants; I wonder if they bite or sting...
7
posted on
03/13/2026 2:51:39 PM PDT
by
Jamestown1630
("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
To: yesthatjallen
Caught him with ants in the pants, did they? š
8
posted on
03/13/2026 2:52:17 PM PDT
by
BradyLS
(DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
To: Jamestown1630
Unlike Aunt Bee, the Queen Bee means business.
9
posted on
03/13/2026 2:53:22 PM PDT
by
frank ballenger
(There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
To: yesthatjallen
10
posted on
03/13/2026 2:53:51 PM PDT
by
P8riot
(You will never know Jesus Christ as a reality in your life until you know Him as a necessity.)
To: BradyLS
Then there was Eric. Eric the Half-a-Bee.
‘Ees a halibut!
11
posted on
03/13/2026 2:53:56 PM PDT
by
dfwgator
("I am Charlie Kirk!")
To: frank ballenger
Iād like to see the dude try and smuggle fire ants.
12
posted on
03/13/2026 2:55:35 PM PDT
by
Night Hides Not
(Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It! Iām )
To: yesthatjallen
You can still buy ‘Uncle Milton’s Ant Farm’.
I once bought one for my god child.
13
posted on
03/13/2026 2:56:48 PM PDT
by
Jamestown1630
("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
To: Night Hides Not
Ha.
Too bad the old fashion of hot pants is long gone.
14
posted on
03/13/2026 3:01:33 PM PDT
by
frank ballenger
(There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
To: yesthatjallen
15
posted on
03/13/2026 3:21:58 PM PDT
by
Libloather
(Why do climate change hoax deniers live in mansions on the beach?)
To: BradyLS
“Eric the Half-a-Bee.”
I did think it was the babylon bee due to this statement:
“The ants are protected by international bio-diversity treaties...”
Diversity? For ants?
wy69
16
posted on
03/13/2026 3:25:04 PM PDT
by
whitney69
(uire the )
To: whitney69
I did a double take at first too. Maybe they’re worried about these ants escaping and becoming an invasive exotic that interferes with the local flora and fauna. Unfortunately fire ants are migrating northward all by themselves.
To: yesthatjallen
He has yet to respond to the accusation but investigators said in court that he was linked to an ant-trafficking network that was broken up in Kenya last year. I did not have ant-trafficking on my bingo card at all.
18
posted on
03/13/2026 3:45:48 PM PDT
by
Harmless Teddy Bear
(The tree accused of killed Sonny Bono was planted.)
To: yesthatjallen
The law makes an exception for ants smuggled in pants, right?
To: Yardstick
Only if it rains in Spain when you bring them to the plane!
20
posted on
03/13/2026 3:55:30 PM PDT
by
Reily
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