Ecuador Police Seize 469kg Cocaine Shipment Bearing Stickers of Football Star Erling Haaland

Ecuadorian police have seized 469 kilograms (1,034 pounds) of cocaine hidden in a truck near the Colombian border, with the packages marked with images of Norway football star Erling Haaland. Anti-narcotics officers acted on an anonymous tip and stopped a suspicious truck on the Pan-American Highway. Police said they found 370 packages concealed in a false compartment and arrested a woman identified as María R., who was carrying Colombian identification documents. Police released video showing the cocaine packages bearing Haaland stickers but gave no explanation for their use. Images of well-known sports figures and other celebrities are sometimes used by drug-trafficking networks to identify shipments, criminal groups or intended buyers. There is no indication that Haaland was connected to the shipment. Authorities estimated the cocaine was worth about $842,000 on Ecuador’s domestic market, more than $11 million in the United States and about $19.6 million in Europe. The seizure comes as Ecuador continues to face a major drug-trafficking and organized-crime challenge. The country has become an important transit and logistics hub for cocaine produced mainly in neighboring Colombia and Peru and shipped toward North America and Europe. Police said about 80% of cocaine trafficked through Ecuador originates in Colombia, with much of the remainder coming from Peru. Authorities seized about 80 tonnes of drugs in the first half of the year, after confiscating nearly 215 tonnes in 2025 and almost 295 tonnes in 2024. Haaland’s image has gained widespread recognition following his high-profile performances at the recent World Cup. His image is not unique among football stars to appear on seized drug shipments; authorities have previously found packages bearing images of other prominent players, including Argentina captain Lionel Messi. The post Ecuador Police Seize 469kg Cocaine Shipment Bearing Stickers of Football Star Erling Haaland appeared first on Khaama Press.