'Chars' worth over 130 kilos found from ambulance transporting COVID-19 patient

• Karachi-bound ambulance collides with a passenger bus in Mastung
• Accident leaves at least three, including the sick individual, dead; two wounded
• Contraband reportedly hidden in secret compartment of ambulance's roof
• Levies officials to question ambulance driver after medical treatment

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QUETTA: Chars, or hashish, worth over 130 kilogrammes was found in a Karachi-bound ambulance carrying a COVID-19 patient that met an accident here in Mastung's Khad Koocha locality, Levies officials confirmed on Monday.

The contraband — 134kg of hashish — was stored in a secret compartment in the roof of the ambulance, which was transporting the COVID-19 patient from  Quetta to Karachi. The van's collision with a passenger bus in Khad Koocha left at least three people, including the sick individual, dead, while the driver and one other person were wounded.

Levies officials said the matter was under investigation and that the ambulance driver would be questioned once he recovered.

Earlier this year, the Interpol had issued an alert that criminal organisations were using food delivery services to transport drugs and other illicit goods as countries imposed lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The global body had said it received reports from police in Ireland, Malaysia, Spain, and the United Kingdom identifying delivery drivers transporting drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, ketamine, and ecstasy.