Bolivian authorities seize bus carrying 86.5kg of marijuana linked to Sao Paulo trip

Bolivian authorities have allegedly discovered 86.5kg of marijuana on a bus associated with a Sao Paulo team journey, although the Brazilian club says its players and staff did not travel on the vehicle.

The bus was searched in the city of Villa Tunari after being intercepted by authorities, according to French publication L’Equipe. The discovery has created an unusual situation around Sao Paulo’s visit to Bolivia this week for their match against Club Bolivar.

Sao Paulo travelled to the country for the fixture, but the club has since moved to distance itself from the bus involved in the alleged drug seizure. The club said the vehicle searched by Bolivian authorities was not the one used by its delegation during the trip.

The incident involved transport company Cosmos, which operated the bus. In a statement, the company said:

“The 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.”

Three people are reported to have been arrested following the search. None of those detained is understood to be a member of the Sao Paulo team.

The club currently employs former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain forward Lucas Moura, who was part of the travelling context surrounding the fixture in Bolivia. Club Bolivar, Sao Paulo’s opponents, also have a player with experience of South African football in their squad, with former Mamelodi Sundowns player Erwin Saavedra among their personnel.

The alleged discovery took place during a week in which attention had been focused on the match between Sao Paulo and Club Bolivar. However, the club’s statement and the explanation from Cosmos indicate that the bus carrying the marijuana was separate from the vehicle assigned to Sao Paulo’s players and staff.

Cosmos said responsibility lay with the Bolivian drivers, while Sao Paulo maintained that its team did not use the bus searched in Villa Tunari. The three arrests reported after the operation do not involve team members, according to the information available.

The case remains centred on the vehicle intercepted by Bolivian authorities and the transport arrangements surrounding it. Sao Paulo’s position is that another bus was assigned to the team for its journey to Bolivia.