Ecuadorian police have seized a large cocaine shipment bearing images of Norwegian football star Erling Haaland, in a bizarre use of the Manchester City striker’s likeness by suspected drug traffickers.
Authorities said anti-narcotics officers recovered the shipment from a truck near the Colombian border after receiving an anonymous tip about a suspicious vehicle travelling along the Pan-American Highway.
Police found hundreds of green-wrapped packages concealed in a false compartment in the vehicle. The packages carried stickers featuring Haaland’s face, prompting widespread attention after footage of the seizure was released.
Initial reports from Ecuadorian authorities put the haul at about 369 kilograms of cocaine, while an AP update cited the shipment as 469 kilograms. Police said the seizure involved hundreds of packages and that suspects were arrested in connection with the operation.
A woman identified as María R., carrying Colombian identification, was among those detained, according to reports. Authorities have not publicly suggested any connection between Haaland and the shipment, and there is no indication that the footballer was aware his image was being used.
The unusual branding comes shortly after Haaland enjoyed a high-profile 2026 World Cup campaign, scoring seven goals in four matches and becoming one of the tournament's most recognisable figures.
Ecuadorian police have not explained why traffickers selected Haaland's image. But the use of celebrity photographs on drug packages is not new.
Drug-trafficking organisations are known to place images, names or symbols on packages as a way of identifying consignments, indicating which criminal organisation produced or owns them, or signalling the intended recipient. Such markings can function as an internal code rather than an attempt to advertise the drug publicly.
Footballers have previously been used in similar branding. Images of Argentine star Lionel Messi have also appeared on packages seized during anti-drug operations, according to reports.
The practice illustrates the increasingly elaborate methods used by trafficking groups to distinguish shipments moving through complex international supply chains.
Ecuador has become a major transit and logistics hub for cocaine produced in neighbouring Colombia and Peru. Criminal organisations use the country's roads, ports and other transport networks to move narcotics towards international markets, particularly in North America and Europe.
Police said the latest seizure formed part of wider anti-narcotics operations targeting trafficking networks operating through the country.
The scale of the seizure also highlights Ecuador's continuing struggle with organised crime and the movement of cocaine through its territory.
For Haaland, the appearance of his face on the illicit packages is an unwanted association with a criminal trade with which he has no reported connection. The images appear to have been used without his authorisation.
Authorities are expected to investigate the origin of the shipment, its intended destination and the criminal network responsible for transporting it.
The seizure comes as Ecuadorian authorities intensify efforts to disrupt drug trafficking routes linking South America with overseas markets, where cocaine can command substantially higher prices than in its country of origin.
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