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crime20h ago
2 men found with hundreds of ants are charged with illegally dealing in wildlife in Kenya
- Two suspects, Zhang Kequn and Charles Mwangi, were charged in Nairobi with unlawfully dealing in wildlife after hundreds of live ants were found.
- Authorities say the ants were stored in tubes and could indicate a growing ant-trafficking trend to European and Asian markets.
- Prosecutors say Kequn paid for batches of ants totaling about 1,948 live specimens and 300 additional ants were found in tissue rolls.
- Officials have not said whether the ants are pets or intended for other uses, complicating the case’s motive.
- The incident follows previous wildlife-trafficking cases in Kenya involving ants, including Belgian teenagers found with thousands of ants last year.
- Kequn’s lawyer said the suspects did not know they were breaking the law, claiming they saw potential profit in selling ants abroad.
- The case underscores Kenya’s wildlife-conservation laws requiring permits to handle or trade wildlife species.
- The suspects remain in custody as investigations continue, and the case is part of broader wildlife-crime efforts in the region.
- The ant-trafficking issue has drawn attention to enforcement and regulatory gaps in wildlife trade in East Africa.
- The court case centers on alleged conspiracy to commit a felony tied to wildlife dealing, adding a legal dimension to the trafficking charges.
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