A football team bus was stopped by police before it was due to pick up its side from the airport, leading to the seizure of 86kg of drugs discovered on board. Brazilian giants Sao Paulo were left stranded during their journey to La Paz, Bolivia, where they were scheduled to face Bolívar in the Copa Sudamerica, the South American equivalent of the Europa League.
Bus Impounded Near Cochabamba
According to local media outlets, Sao Paulo hired Buses Cosmo to transport them from the airport to their hotel, but the original vehicle never made it to the airport. Sao Paulo were sent a replacement coach, as the original was impounded near Cochabamba after the discovery.
The bus had been searched overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday when officers stopped it at Villa Tunari in the Cochabamba department in central Bolivia. Images released by the authorities showed the vehicle with Sao Paulo logos. During the search, police uncovered 65 rectangular packages containing a greenish substance, which later tests confirmed as cannabis.
Street Value and Match Context
Around 86 kilos of cannabis would have a street value of up to approximately £750,000 in the UK. Sao Paulo had elected to fly to Santa Cruz de la Sierra before travelling to La Paz, which is 3,600 meters above sea level, at the last possible moment to minimise the problems of playing at altitude.
The Brazilian giants were held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg, and boss Dorival Jr said: "Regarding the game, we played a match in which, in the first half, we fulfilled everything we had planned in terms of marking, efficiency and pressure triggers."
"In the second half it was a little different, the difficulties increased even more. Even so, the team remained calm and worked the ball well. We are working to have more consistency. It was a very difficult game and I leave here satisfied and hopeful that we can seek our best result at home."
