Erling Haaland's face appeared in an unexpected place after Ecuadorian authorities spotted the Norwegian football star's image on hundreds of packages of cocaine, which were hidden in a truck near the border with Colombia.
Police seized a total of 469 kilograms of cocaine, packed in 370 packages, which were hidden in a specially designed space in the double floor of the truck. What caused surprise were the stickers on the green rectangular packages, as they bore the image of Erling Haaland.
A video released by the police shows the moment when authorities open the vault and remove the packages one by one, in which the Norwegian attacker's face is clearly visible.
The operation took place in the Wagua Negro region, near the border city of Tulcán and about 246 kilometers north of the capital Quito. Authorities had received an anonymous tip about a suspicious load on the Pan-American Highway and, after locating the truck, proceeded to search it. A woman was arrested as part of the operation.
Why was Haaland's image used?
Authorities have not given a specific explanation for Haaland's presence in the package, but drug traffickers often use the names, images or symbols of famous athletes and other celebrities to "brand" their shipments.
These marks are codes to identify the criminal network that is trafficking the cargo or the client for whom it is intended.
In fact, Haaland is not the only footballer whose image has appeared on the seized drugs, as in another case the image of the captain of the Argentine national team, Lionel Messi, was also found on a package.
According to the AP, the value of the seized cocaine is estimated at approximately 731,000 euros on the domestic market in Ecuador. If the shipment were to reach the United States, its value would exceed 9.5 million euros, while on the European market it is estimated at more than 17 million euros. ©LAPSI.al
