Rich People Trades
  • Business
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Investing
  • Business
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Investing

Rich People Trades

World News

Belgian teens arrested with 5,000 smuggled ants as Kenya warns of changing trafficking trends

by admin April 17, 2025
April 17, 2025
Belgian teens arrested with 5,000 smuggled ants as Kenya warns of changing trafficking trends

Two Belgian teenagers were charged Tuesday with wildlife piracy after they were found with thousands of ants packed in test tubes in what Kenyan authorities said was part of a trend in trafficking smaller and lesser known species.

Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, two 19-year-olds who were arrested on April 5 with 5,000 ants at a guest house, appeared distraught during their appearance before a magistrate in Nairobi and were comforted in the courtroom by relatives. They told the magistrate they were collecting the ants for fun and did not know that it was illegal.

In a separate criminal case, Kenyan Dennis Ng’ang’a and Vietnamese Duh Hung Nguyen also were charged with illegal trafficking in the same courtroom, following their arrest while in possession of 400 ants.

The Kenya Wildlife Service said the four men were involved in trafficking the ants to markets in Europe and Asia, and that the species included messor cephalotes, a distinctive, large and red-colored harvester ant native to East Africa.

The illegal export of the ants “not only undermines Kenya’s sovereign rights over its biodiversity but also deprives local communities and research institutions of potential ecological and economic benefits,” KWS said in a statement.

Belgian nationals Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx told the magistrate they were collecting the ants for fun and did not know that it was illegal.
Monicah Mwangi/Reuters

Kenya has in the past fought against the trafficking of body parts of larger species of wild animals such as elephants, rhinos and pangolins among others. But the cases against the four men represent “a shift in trafficking trends — from iconic large mammals to lesser-known yet ecologically critical species,” KWS said.

The two Belgians were arrested in Kenya’s Nakuru county, which is home to various national parks. The 5,000 ants were found in a guest house where they were staying, and were packed in 2,244 test tubes that had been filled with cotton wool to enable the ants to survive for months.

The other two men were arrested in Nairobi where they were found to have 400 ants in their apartments.

In a separate case, Duh Hung Nyugen of Vietnam and Dennis Ng’ang’a of Kenya were charged with illegal trafficking, following their arrest while in possession of 400 ants.
Monicah Mwangi/Reuters

Kenyan authorities valued the ants at 1 million shillings ($7,700). The prices for ants can vary greatly according to the species and the market.

Philip Muruthi, a vice president for conservation at the Africa Wildlife Foundation in Nairobi, said ants play the role of enriching soils, enabling germination and providing food for species such as birds.

“The thing is, when you see a healthy forest, like Ngong forest, you don’t think about what is making it healthy. It is the relationships all the way from the bacteria to the ants to the bigger things,” he said.

Muruthi warned of the risk of trafficking species and exporting diseases to the agricultural industry of the destination countries.

“Even if there is trade, it should be regulated and nobody should be taking our resources just like that,” he said.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

previous post
Ukraine parades Chinese nationals captured fighting for Russia. What message was it was trying to send?
next post
OpenAI in talks to pay about $3 billion to acquire AI coding startup Windsurf

Related Posts

Belarus president set to extend 30-year rule as...

January 26, 2025

Norway seizes Russian-crewed ship on suspicion of causing...

February 1, 2025

In notorious Salvadoran prison, US deportees live in...

April 9, 2025

Commercial airlines warned as Chinese navy holds live...

February 21, 2025

Ukrainian intelligence has identified 155 Chinese citizens fighting...

April 10, 2025

US Navy aircraft carrier collides with merchant ship...

February 14, 2025

Ukraine parades Chinese nationals captured fighting for Russia....

April 17, 2025

Reported Swedish shooter lived as recluse in quiet...

February 7, 2025

First photo of Pope emerges since hospitalization

March 17, 2025

Auctioning off millennial saint-to-be’s relics is Satan’s work,...

April 6, 2025

    Join our mailing list to get access to special deals, promotions, and insider information. Your exclusive benefits await! Enjoy personalized recommendations, first dibs on sales, and members-only content that makes you feel like a true VIP. Sign up now and start saving!


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Editors’ Picks

    • 1

      First lady Melania Trump’s new official portrait revealed

      January 28, 2025
    • 2

      Health experts prep Dem lawmakers on anti-vaccine arguments ahead of RFK Jr’s confirmation hearings

      January 28, 2025
    • 3

      Vale Launches Strategic Review of Thompson Nickel Operations Amid Market Challenges

      January 28, 2025
    • 4

      ECOWAS pledges to ‘keep door open’ after 3 coup-hit West African nations exit regional bloc

      January 30, 2025
    • 5

      American fighters are dying in Ukraine in growing numbers. Bringing their bodies home is a complex task

      January 30, 2025
    • 6

      Scorched-earth Shanahan: RFK Jr’s former running mate threatens political war against confirmation opponents

      January 30, 2025
    • 7

      Coral bleaching on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef reaches ‘catastrophic’ levels, study finds

      January 23, 2025
    • About us
    • Contacts
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Email Whitelisting

    Disclaimer: richpeopletrades.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.


    Copyright © 2025 richpeopletrades.com | All Rights Reserved