When a beacon-fitted ambulance carries five sacks of cannabis instead of a patient, it mocks countless ailing persons in Bengal who wait for this emergency vehicle in vain.

Jangipur police in Murshidabad intercepted an ambulance carrying 140kg of cannabis worth ₹12 lakh early on Tuesday.

Preliminary probe revealed that the vehicle with a blue beacon was originally donated by the state government to a Jalpaiguri-based club.

Acting on a tip-off, around 5am, cops led by the Samserganj OC Shibprasad Ghosh intercepted the ambulance on NH12 at the checkpoint near the Chaksapur crossing in Samserganj.

The ambulance, with its siren blaring, was headed towards Ranaghat in Nadia with five sacks of cannabis. The consignment, sent from Cooch Behar's Toofanganj, was meant for delivery in Ranaghat, police sources said.

When the speeding ambulance approached the checkpost, the driver initially demanded clearance, persistently honking. But when officers insisted on checking the vehicle, the driver attempted to break through the barricade. The police swiftly blocked the path with barrel containers.

On inspection, officers found 140kg of cannabis inside the vehicle. The driver, Anup Sutradhar of Birpara in Alipurduar, and his associate, Aditya Das of Siliguri, were arrested.

After the duo's arrest, Farakka SDPO Aminul Islam, Samserganj BDO Sujitchandra Lodh and Jangipur CI Swarup Biswas reached the spot.

The arrested duo would be produced in court on Wednesday, Islam told the media.