A team of police officers who were rushing to a scene of sudden death of a Chinese national were shocked to recover several animal trophies.
The man identified as Yang Changui, 58 was found dead in his bed in Sunshine Court in Lavington Estate, Nairobi.
And while conducting a search in the house, they stumbled on several trophies that shocked them.
The deceased according to police had a visible mark of surgery scar at the pelvis and some medicines in the house.
Some 78 pieces of elephant ivory, two pieces of rhino horns, three sets of communication gadgets and two sets of stamps were recovered.
Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei said other items recovered during the search were rude DT 02, two cheque books, 65 pieces of lion teeth, 165 pieces of lion craws, two pieces of ivory sculptures and a piece of skin of unknown animal.
The body was moved to Chiromo mortuary pending autopsy. Police say they are investigating the source of the items so far.
The recovery of the trophies shows poaching in the region is still on the rise as armed criminal gangs kill elephants for tusks and rhinos for horns, which are usually shipped to Asia.
As part of efforts to stop the crime, Kenya has started using high-tech surveillance equipment, including drones to track poaching gangs and keep tabs on elephants and rhinos.
Parliament has also passed strict anti-poaching laws, and the government has beefed up security at parks to stop poaching, which threatens the vital tourism industry.
Kenya has special squads pursuing poachers.
Regionally, Kenya has also emerged as a major transit route for ivory destined for Asian markets from eastern and central Africa.
The illegal ivory trade is mostly fuelled by demand in Asia and the Middle East, where elephant tusks and rhinoceros horns are used to make ornaments and traditional medicines.
