BEIJING (The Straits Times/ANN): We deliver almost anything you need – so says courier service Lalamove on its website.
One customer took that promise to the extreme, hiring a driver to transport a corpse in eastern China.
The driver found out about the nature of his delivery only when he reached the pick-up destination in Shandong province on July 31, said media reports in China and Hong Kong.
He was dead set against the job, despite the customer offering more money, reported Hong Kong media outlet Oriental Daily News.
The customer then threatened to raise hell with an official complaint.
Lalamove then said on Aug 3 that the platform’s drivers cannot transport corpses, and advised customers to seek alternative and appropriate options, reported Hong Kong outlet Sing Tao News.
Other than human remains, Lalamove Singapore’s website states that other restricted items include human organs, illegal goods, animals and certain types of bulky items, such as pianos.
“Lalamove respects the sensitivity of transporting human organs or remains and recommends specialised services for their delivery,” it said on the website.
If a driver comes across items they are not supposed to deliver, they should first negotiate with the customer to cancel the order. If this happens, the driver will have no further obligations, said Lalamove, according to Hong Kong broadcast outlet Asia Television.
The company will investigate complaints against drivers and inform them of the decision. Drivers are allowed to appeal against decisions against them.
According to lawyers, no company or individual is allowed to provide transfer services for corpses without approval from the authorities, said Hong Kong news outlet HK01.
Some regulations in China also state that only licensed funeral service providers can collect and transport bodies within their area. - The Straits Times/ANN
