The Kenya Wildlife Service on Monday, April 14, detailed how four fugitives, including three foreigners, almost managed to smuggle 5,000 queen ants worth one million.
Through a statement, KWS, while condemning the act, revealed that the suspects had concealed the ants in specially modified test tubes and syringes, terming the incident as an "act of biopiracy." "This case not only marks a serious wildlife crime but also constitutes biopiracy, as it involves the unlawful access and attempted export of Kenya's genetic resources without prior informed consent or benefit-sharing, in direct violation of national law and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing," KWS stated.
KWS further revealed that the test tubes had been designed to sustain the ants for up to two months and evade airport security detection, including X-ray scanners.
A photo of the live ants that were to be smuggled out of the country by four suspects.
