The two men were reportedly looking to sell the ants for thousands in China, having bred them in Kenya, but were stopped by officials at the airport following a prolonged probe
If the terrifying Snakes on a Plane is anything to go by, then the idea of hundreds of animals let loose during a flight should be enough to make you think twice about flying.
And when those animals are tiny and bite-y, that idea becomes bad enough to make you feel itchy even sitting at home, let alone next time you board a plane. Thankfully for passengers travelling between Nairobi and China, this fate was narrowly avoided, after two blokes were caught at the airport trying to sneak thousands of Queen ants onboard in a suitcase.
One Chinese man and one Kenyan were arrested in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi last week after aviation authorities in the African country found the creepy-crawlies reportedly stashed in their luggage.
The critters had apparently been stashed in test tubes and wrapped in tissue, and were bound for China, where collectors apparently pay big bucks for them as pets.
A court in the Kenyan capital heard how Chinese national Zhang Kegun bought the ants from Charles Mwangi for around £1200, but was looking to sell them on for much more.
Kenyan authorities have warned that the country faces a growth in criminal enterprises trying to profit of ant smuggling.
Both men have pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to Nairobi media outlets.
Zhang’s attorney David Lusweti said the men did not know that they were breaking the law.
“They have seen potential that they are able to sell outside the country, they believe that they can make a living out of it,” he told the Associated Press.
Zhang and Mwangi are set to appear before the court again later this month.
A senior figure in the Kenya Wildlife Service reportedly told the BBC that more arrests should be expected, as investigators expand their sting into a series of towns suspected of housing ant harvesting farms.
In May 2025, four men were jailed for a year and fined £5800 for smuggling live queens out of the country, with the insects apparently bound for Europe and Asia.
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