Bolivian police discovered 80kg of marijuana on a bus branded for Brazilian football club Sao Paulo ahead of their Copa Sudamericana round-of-16 match against Bolivar. The bus was stopped and searched overnight at Villa Tunari in the Cochabamba department, an area known for coca production.
Search and Arrests
During the search, officers found 65 rectangular packages containing a greenish substance, later confirmed to be marijuana. Shopping bags were used to hide the produce, and investigations are ongoing. Three individuals were arrested for their involvement and connection to the operation.
The transportation company responsible insisted the team did not use that specific vehicle, adding that the blame lay squarely on the local coach drivers. In a statement, they said: “Sao Paulo team did not use this bus; another one was assigned to them. We wish to clarify that the Bolivian drivers bear full responsibility.”
Match Proceeds Despite Incident
The incident did not impact the game, which finished 1-1, with a second-half goal from Bolivar levelling things up for the home side. The Brazilian outfit took the lead midway through the first half but were pegged back just after the hour mark. The two teams will reconvene next week for the second leg.
On the pitch, the biggest issue for Sao Paulo was the altitude in La Paz, which is around 3,600 metres above sea level. Speaking after a previous match with Argentina against Bolivia, Lionel Messi remarked: "It is terrible to play here at altitude, so a draw is a good result for us. Every time you make an effort or play at high pace, you need time to recover. Some of the players had a headache and others felt a bit dizzy, but there was nothing wrong with me."
