'Black Market Bees' - 2 Arrested After 5 Million Bees Worth $200K Stolen

ONTARIO, Canada (KCBS) -- Two people have been arrested in connection with the theft of five million bees in Canada.

The heist involved the taking of 180 hives, worth $200,000.

Luc Peters, an Ontario, Canada beekeeper called it a tragedy.

"If it's happening on this scale, I wouldn't be surprised if there's black market bees out there," Peters said.

Bees are necessary for pollination, and it is key pollination season.

"It's becoming more of a thing that people can do because bees are becoming more valuable because of losses to pesticides, and diseases," Peters said.

The bees have not yet been found.

Beekeepers in Northern California have also seen their hives become victims of thieves.

In:
• Bees