In a surprising discovery near the Colombian border, Ecuadorian police have intercepted a large shipment of cocaine with the face of Norwegian football star Erling Haaland printed on the packaging, as reported by the Associated Press.
On Wednesday, anti-narcotics agents in Ecuador stopped a suspicious truck on the Pan-American Highway following an anonymous tip. Hidden within a false bottom of the vehicle were 370 green rectangular packages totalling 469 kilograms (1,034 pounds) of cocaine. Unexpectedly, the packages were adorned with stickers of Erling Haaland, the prolific football star of Norway and Manchester United.
The driver of the truck was arrested at the scene. Authorities estimate the street value of the seized drugs to be over $11 million in the United States and more than €17 million if sold on the European black market.
🚨 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: Ecuadorian police have seized over 1,000 pounds of c*caine with an image of Erling Haaland on top of the packaging.
The bust is set to be worth over €17m if sold in the black market.
It’s said that manufacturers have started to include the image of famous… pic.twitter.com/6z0nGl1ig0
— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) August 13, 2026
Why Do Traffickers Use Erling Haaland and Other Celebrity Images?
While finding a global football superstar’s face on illegal narcotics might seem bizarre, it is a known tactic among cartels. According to authorities, drug traffickers frequently use images of well-known celebrities and athletes to label their merchandise. These visual markers help criminal networks differentiate their product from competing suppliers and signal to clients which group produced the shipment.
Haaland is not the first football star to have his likeness misused in this manner; the image of Argentine captain Lionel Messi has previously been found on similar contraband packages.
When Will Erling Haaland Play Next?
The Norwegian superstar is expected to play his first match after the FIFA World Cup 2026, where he scored seven goals with Manchester City against Arsenal on August 16, 2026, at Principality Stadium in Cardiff in the FA Community Shield clash.
Norway’s historic run at the World Cup ended in the quarter-finals following a 2–1 extra-time defeat against England, in which Haaland could not score.
