Chinese arrested at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for smoking in plane

Kenya: A 26-year-old Chinese national was arrested at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for smoking while on board a flight from Doha.

Ji Xiadying had arrived at the airport aboard a Qatar Airways when he was detained. The flight officials reported him to the police who detained him ahead of his arraignment on Monday.

Xiadying told police she was visiting her mother in Nairobi when the incident happened. Under aviation laws it's a criminal offence to smoke on board a plane.

Meanwhile, a Chinese national was last week arrested while carrying worked ivory valued at more than Sh200,000.

Gao Xudong, 61, was removed from a plane at JKIA while headed for Hong Kong through Dubai with the ivory that he had stuffed in his pocket and luggage.

He had boarded an Emirates plane ready for take off when police and Kenya Wildlife Service officials who had stumbled on the ivory in his luggage moved into action and removed him, witnesses said.

Xudong told police he is a resident of Juja in Kenya and was headed for Hong Kong for a visit before he would come back. He is expected in court Thursday.

Airport CID boss Judy Jebet said they are investigating to know the source of the ivory.

"The man has been here and it seems the ivory was obtained locally. It is criminal to be in possession of such ivory," said Jebet.

Cases of trafficking of contraband through the airport have been on the rise. Police have in the past months been making seizures of the same.