Thuraku flight: Drama at JKIA as Chinese national arrested with nearly 2,000 ants in luggage

Chinese national Zhang Keng Kun when he appeared before the JKIA Law Courts on March 11, 2026 (photo courtesy)

A bizarre wildlife smuggling case unfolded at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi after a Chinese national was intercepted while allegedly attempting to smuggle nearly 2,000 queen ants out of the country.

Authorities arrested Zhang Keng Kun in the early hours of Tuesday as he prepared to board a flight. Officials say the suspect was found carrying 1,948 garden ant queens hidden inside specially prepared containers in his luggage.

Investigators also claim the suspect had previously escaped arrest in 2025 while travelling to China using different travel documents.

According to prosecutors at the JKIA Law Courts, the insects were carefully concealed in test tubes wrapped in tissue paper.

“All personal luggage was searched, and within that luggage there were found 1,948 garden ants. They were packed in special test tubes, which is now a departure from the syringes that we saw in 2025,” prosecutor Allan Mulama told the court.

Authorities say the unusual packaging suggests the suspects were attempting to keep the insects alive during transport.

The unusual arrest quickly sparked widespread reactions online, with Kenyans turning the case into a trending topic filled with humor and disbelief.

One social media user joked, “You mean they counted ants one by one?” while another quipped that somewhere there was a “family of ants missing their queen.” Others pointed out that the case revealed unusual underground business opportunities.

The arrest comes amid growing concern over ant trafficking networks targeting Kenya’s biodiversity.

On April 5, 2025, two foreigners; Lornoy David and Seppe Lodewijckx — were arrested at a guest house in Naivasha after being found with about 5,000 garden ant queens packed in 2,244 tubes. They were charged under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act for dealing in protected species.

In another case handled at the JKIA courts, Senior Principal Magistrate Njeri Thuku convicted Vietnamese national Duh Hung Nguyen and Kenyan Dennis Nganga after they were found with ants stored in 140 syringes packed with cotton wool.

The two were fined Sh1 million each, or face 12 months in prison.

Investigators are now examining whether the latest arrest is connected to a larger international ant-trafficking syndicate, with authorities suspecting Kun may have been coordinating operations.

Following his arrest, Kun was arraigned in court as detectives widened investigations.

Authorities are now focusing on suspected ant-harvesting hotspots in Nakuru, Naivasha and surrounding towns, where collectors are believed to be gathering queen ants destined for overseas markets.