Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has exposed a booming black-market racket in which traffickers smuggle queen ants out of the country, turning the tiny insects into a multimillion-shilling business.
According to a report presented in the JKIA Court, where three foreign nationals and a Kenyan are on trial for wildlife trafficking, KWS revealed that each queen ant fetches between Ksh9,000 and Ksh15,000 in European black markets. These rare ants are in high demand for culinary and ornamental use abroad.
Authorities seized a haul of 5,000 ants from the suspects. If sold at the highest price, the consignment could have earned them up to Ksh75 million. Even at the lowest market rate, the smugglers stood to gain Ksh45 million.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) added that smugglers often disguise the ants as wooden carvings or toys to evade detection. Locally, brokers buy each queen ant for about Ksh50 and resell them for Ksh150 before they’re shipped abroad, where prices skyrocket.
“In the local supply chain, a single queen ant is sold to brokers for around Ksh50, who then resell them for approximately Ksh150. In European markets, however, they can fetch between 60 and 100 Euros each (Ksh. 9000 and Ksh. 15,000), used primarily for culinary and decorative purposes,” read a report by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
Ant Trafficking Threatens Kenyan Ecosystems
KWS warned that queen ant smuggling has become a growing trend, with frequent interceptions at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi, Gilgil, and Naivasha.
In court, the DPP submitted a scientific report by the National Museums of Kenya, authored by a leading entomologist. The report emphasized the ecological importance of ants—highlighting their roles in pest control, soil aeration, seed dispersal, nutrient recycling, and climate change monitoring.
The entomologist warned that mass harvesting of queen ants could spark local extinctions, disrupt ecosystems, reduce plant nutrient availability, and enable invasive species to thrive.
In light of these risks, the DPP stated that the prosecution would push for harsh penalties against the accused, who have all pleaded guilty to the charges.
