# Four individuals, two Belgians, a Vietnamese national, and a Kenyan, have pleaded guilty to smuggling approximately five-thousand queen ants out of Kenya. The ants, including the rare and highly valued Giant African Harvester Ants, were hidden in modified test tubes and syringes to survive extended periods and evade airport scans. The Kenya wildlife Service says the interception valued at 147-thousand-rand represents a significant breakthrough in combating biopiracy. They face charges of illegal possession and trafficking of live wildlife.
Kenya cracks down on ant smuggling in landmark wildlife trafficking case