Chinese national and Kenyan associate charged with illegally smuggling ants

A Chinese national and a Kenyan man were charged Tuesday with unlawfully dealing in wildlife species after they were found in possession of hundreds of live ants stored in specialised tubes.The case was the latest focused on the alleged smuggling of ants in the East African country, where authorities last year described a growing trend in the trafficking of ants to markets in Europe and Asia. Officials have not said if the ants are sought after as pets or for other purposes.The suspects, identified as Zhang Kequn and Charles Mwangi, appeared in a courtroom in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Tuesday. They were also charged with conspiracy to commit a felony.Prosecutors say Kequn had been sourcing the ants from Mwangi, allegedly paying 60,000 Kenyan shillings (US$463) for an initial batch of 600 ants and 70,000 shillings (US$540) for another batch of 700.The suspects were arrested on March 10 after authorities found them possessing 1,948 garden ants, stored in specialised tubes, and an additional 300 ants in tissue rolls. Prosecutors say the suspects did not have the permits required under Kenya’s wildlife conservation laws to handle or trade in such species.Mwangi faces a separate charge after he was allegedly found with more live ants.