Police Seize £15 Million Cocaine Shipment Wrapped in Parcels Featuring Erling Haaland

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 Police Seize £15 Million Cocaine Shipment Wrapped in Parcels Featuring Erling Haaland


Police in Ecuador have seized cocaine worth an estimated £15 million after discovering the drug shipment hidden inside a flat-bed truck near Tulcán, close to the Colombian border.


Authorities reportedly recovered nearly half a tonne of cocaine, packed into about 370 packages concealed beneath a false floor in the vehicle.


What caught attention was the packaging. The cocaine parcels were wrapped in green plastic featuring an image of Norwegian football star and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, apparently taken during the World Cup.


According to reports, a woman identified as María R. was arrested in connection with the seizure.


The use of images of famous footballers on drug packages is reportedly not unusual among organised trafficking groups, with images of other major stars, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Maradona, having also been used.


Ecuador has become a major transit point in the international cocaine trade because of its proximity to Colombia, one of the world's largest cocaine-producing countries.


The latest seizure is part of Ecuadorian authorities' wider efforts to disrupt drug trafficking networks operating through the country. Police reportedly seized around 80 tonnes of drugs in Ecuador during 2026, following approximately 215 tonnes seized in 2025.


The discovery highlights the increasingly elaborate methods used by international drug trafficking organisations to conceal and identify large shipments.


Source: The Sun





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