Nairobi — A court sitting at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has sentenced four ant smugglers to a year in prison with the option of paying a Sh1 million fine each.

Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku rendered the sentences on Wednesday after considering pre-sentencing reports and mitigation by the quartet that pleaded guilty to charges of illegal possession and trafficking of live wildlife after authorities intercepted over 5,000 live ants, including queen ants.

Belgian teenagers Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx, both 19, along with Vietnamese national Duh Hung Nguyen and Kenyan Dennis Ng'ang'a, were each handed similar terms after the magistrate considered their mitigation arguements.

The quartet had concealed the ants in more than 2,200 test tubes and syringes.

These ants, native to East Africa, are highly sought after in the exotic pet trade, with individual queens fetching up to €200 in European markets.

During mitigation, David and Lodewijckx expressed remorse, stating that their actions stemmed from a childhood hobby and a lack of awareness about Kenyan wildlife laws.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) had described the incident as a "premeditated act" and a significant example of biopiracy, noting that the specialized containers used could sustain the ants for up to two months while evading airport detection.

More to follow...