Ecuadorian police have seized 469 kilograms of cocaine from a truck near the Colombian border, with packages bearing the image of Norwegian soccer star Erling Haaland. The driver was arrested in the operation on Wednesday, according to authorities.
Anti-narcotics agents acted on an anonymous tip received early Tuesday morning on the Pan-American Highway. After stopping a suspicious truck, they discovered 370 packages hidden in a false bottom. Police released video showing the packages spilling out, with Haaland's stickers clearly visible.
It is common practice for drug traffickers to label shipments with images of well-known sports figures and celebrities to indicate which criminal network produced the merchandise and which client it belongs to.
Haaland was one of the top scorers and most charismatic players at the World Cup held in Mexico, the United States, and Canada. His imposing stature and goofy sense of humor sparked a wave of viral videos and memes.
Haaland is not the only soccer star favored by drug smugglers; the image of Argentine captain Lionel Messi has also appeared on another seized package.
Ecuador is considered a logistical hub for drug trafficking, where drugs are stockpiled and distributed via Central American routes mainly to the United States, though narcotics are also shipped to Europe.
Police said a woman identified as María R., with Colombian identity documents, was arrested in Wednesday's operation in the area of Guagua Negro, near the border city of Tulcan, 246 kilometers (153 miles) north of the capital Quito.
The estimated value of the shipment is nearly $842,000 on the domestic market, more than $11 million in the U.S., and more than $19.6 million (17 million euros) in Europe.
In Ecuador, local criminal gangs allied with Colombian and Mexican cartels manage the routes and ship the narcotics, 80% of which originate in Colombia and the rest in Peru.
In the first half of this year, police reported seizing 80 tons of drugs, while in 2025 authorities confiscated nearly 215 tons, primarily cocaine. In 2024, the amount reached almost 295 tons.