Car wreck reveals qat stash

ABHA: A car accident in Abu Areesh, about 40 km north of the southern city of Jizan, yesterday revealed a case of qat smuggling.

One of the vehicles was carrying a large quantity of the leaves that contain a natural amphetamine popularly consumed in some countries in the region and which is illegal in Saudi Arabia.

According to officials, a large group of people gathered around the vehicle to collect the qat leaves before police dispersed them.

Police denied reports that they had to fire into the sky on three occasions to disperse the crowd.

The driver of the vehicle escaped in the crowd and no suspects were arrested.