Ecuador police confiscate cocaine haul marked with soccer star Erling Haaland

Ecuadorian police intercepted a truck on the Pan-American Highway near the Colombian frontier after receiving an early-morning tip, discovering a concealed compartment with 369 kilograms of cocaine. The seized bundles were wrapped in green packets printed with the likeness of Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland, a branding method traffickers employ to identify their product and clientele. The operation led to the arrest of the vehicle’s driver and a woman using the alias María R., who carried Colombian identification.

Authorities placed the haul’s domestic street value at roughly $842,000, while its worth in the United States and Europe exceeds $11 million and $19.6 million respectively. The incident underscores Ecuador’s role as a logistical hub where Colombian-origin cocaine is stored and forwarded to markets in North America and Europe, often in cooperation with local gangs linked to Colombian and Mexican cartels.