A bus from the company Buses Cosmos, responsible for São Paulo logistics in Bolivia, was seized by the police with 86.5 kilos of marijuana. The vehicle, which was already stickered with the club’s shield, was on its way to pick up the delegation. Despite what happened, the board’s schedule was not affected.
Buses Cosmos provided another vehicle, which transported the delegation between the airport and the hotel on August 10, 2026. On August 11, 2026, the same car took the hotel team to the airport in Santa Cruz de La Sierra. From there, the team would fly to La Paz for the clash against Bolívar, on the same day, at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), in the round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana.
More on this story: Police seize more than 80 kg of marijuana in a bus that was transporting a delegation from São Paulo
São Paulo did not receive any official communication about the seizure and only learned about the fact through the local news. The club’s logistics remained intact, with all routes completed normally in the replacement vehicle.
The company responsible for the seized bus operates the line between Santa Cruz de La Sierra and Cochabamba. The vehicle was on its way to the city where the Brazilian team was staying, coming from Cochabamba.
In a statement, the company exempted itself from responsibility, stating that “all responsibility lay with the drivers”. The note also clarified that São Paulo did not use the seized bus, but rather another car provided, and reported that “the matter has already been clarified by the police and those responsible have been arrested”.
The Brazilian club adopted a strategy of staying in Santa Cruz de La Sierra and only traveling to La Paz hours before the game, with the aim of minimizing the impacts of the 3,650 meter altitude.
The team led by Dorival Júnior is expected to arrive in the Bolivian capital at around 6:20 pm, heading directly to the stadium. The board decided to accept a warning from Conmebol for not complying with the arrival time established in the regulations.