Four Including Three Foreigners Plead Guilty to Illegal Possession of 5,000 Queen Ants

Four individuals, including two Belgian nationals, a Vietnamese citizen, and a Kenyan, have pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful possession and trade in live queen ants.

The two Belgians were arraigned before the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Law Courts after being nabbed on April 5, 2025, at a guest house in the Lake View area of Naivasha, Nakuru County, while in possession of live queen ants.

The two were found in possession of approximately 5,000 live queen ants stored in 2,244 tubes, with an estimated street value of Ksh1 million, according to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).  They were charged with dealing in wildlife species without a permit, contrary to Section 95(c) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, Cap 376, Laws of Kenya.

An image of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.