Smuggling trial against Belgian teenagers resumes in Kenya

On Wednesday morning, the trial against two 18-year-olds from the Belgian Kempen resumes in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

They risk a minimum fine of 20 million Kenyan shillings (approximately 135,000 euros/150,000 usd), as well as a possible prison sentence of at least ten years, or a combination thereof.

The incidents took place in Naivasha, located in Nakuru County northwest of Nairobi, Kenya. Two Belgians, barely 18 years old, appear there in court for smuggling 5,000 live queen ants.

The teenagers from the region of Mol in the Belgian Kempen are currently in prison in Kenya awaiting their trial to resume. They were attempting to take ants back to Belgium. These special queen ants are worth up to 200 euros each, and the Belgian teenagers paid only a few thousand euros for them in Kenya. It appears they intended to smuggle the ants illegally to Belgium, to then sell them for multiples of the price on the black market.

However, it is not at all allowed to catch, keep or trade this protected species. In 2,244 tubes, a total of about 5,000 ants were discovered. The tubes contained cotton to keep the ants moist during transport.

The trial of David L. and Seppe L. started on Monday (14/04) at a special court at the airport in the capital Nairobi. The Kenyan judiciary reports that the Belgian teenagers have pleaded guilty. The trial continues on Wednesday, April 23, until then they will remain in custody.

The ants have been confiscated and will be released back into the wild.

(FVDV - Source: Het Nieuwsblad/GVA/Kenya Wildlife Service - Illustrative image: ©Unsplash)