Bolivian military units seized 268 kilograms of marijuana on the border with Chile after discovering an abandoned vehicle less than a kilometer from the Severino Zapata military outpost. The contraband was located within the Sajama National Park, a remote area frequently monitored for illicit cross-border activity.
Authorities found the drugs packed into 225 oval-shaped bundles inside the vehicle. The car, which bore Chilean license plates, had been left behind by its driver, who fled the scene before patrols arrived at the location.
Investigation into the abandoned cargo
Aldo Morales, the regional prosecutor for Oruro, described the operation as a major blow to regional narcotics trafficking networks. "By taking this amount of marijuana out of circulation, we are dealing a crushing blow to drug trafficking," Morales said in a statement.
The Oruro prosecutor’s office confirmed that it is currently coordinating with the Special Force for the Fight Against Drug Trafficking (FELCN) and the Bolivian Armed Forces to advance the investigation. Officials are now processing the abandoned vehicle to identify its owner and track the intended destination of the shipment.
While the driver remains at large, investigators are reviewing registration data associated with the Chilean plates found on the car. Authorities continue to gather evidence to determine if the vehicle was part of a larger smuggling operation targeting the Chilean border.
This incident highlights ongoing security challenges in the high-altitude border region. Military and police forces maintain a heightened presence in the area to deter smugglers who often utilize the rugged terrain of the Sajama National Park to bypass official checkpoints.