By Zoila Palma: A Chinese national has been arrested in Kenya after authorities intercepted an attempt to smuggle more than 2,000 live queen garden ants out of the country, BBC reports.
Zhang Kequn was stopped during a security check at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, where officials discovered a large shipment of ants in his luggage that was reportedly destined for China.
According to prosecutors, investigators found 1,948 garden ants packed inside specialized test tubes, while another 300 live ants were hidden in tissue paper rolls concealed in the suspect’s luggage.
The ants, scientifically known as Messor cephalotes, are protected under international biodiversity treaties, and their trade is tightly regulated due to ecological concerns.
A state prosecutor told the court that authorities are seeking permission to forensically examine Zhang’s electronic devices, including his phone and laptop.
Investigators believe he may be connected to an ant-trafficking network that authorities disrupted in Kenya last year. Officials say additional arrests are expected as the investigation expands to other towns where ant harvesting may be taking place.
The post International News: Chinese national caught smuggling over 2,000 Queen ants out of Kenya appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: A Chinese national has been arrested in Kenya after authorities intercepted an attempt to smuggle more than 2,000 live queen garden ants out of the country, BBC reports. Zhang Kequn was stopped during a security check at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, where officials discovered a large shipment of ants in
The post International News: Chinese national caught smuggling over 2,000 Queen ants out of Kenya appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
