Chinese national given one year in prison for smuggling ants out of Kenya

A Chinese national has been sentenced to a year in prison for attempting to smuggle thousands of live queen garden ants out of Kenya. The court in Nairobi on Wednesday also fined Zhang Kequn 1m Kenyan shillings (£5,713; $7,737). Judge Irene Gichobi described Zhang as not "entirely honest" and lacking in remorse. Last month, he was charged with ille...

A Chinese national has been sentenced to a year in prison for attempting to smuggle thousands of live queen garden ants out of Kenya.

The court in Nairobi on Wednesday also fined Zhang Kequn 1m Kenyan shillings (£5,713; $7,737). Judge Irene Gichobi described Zhang as not "entirely honest" and lacking in remorse.

Last month, he was charged with illegally dealing in wildlife species after being arrested at Nairobi's main airport while attempting to travel to China with more than 2,000 ants in his luggage.

Kenyan authorities have warned of a growing demand for the ants in Europe and Asia, where they are prized by collectors. They can be worth around $220 (£170) each.