Norwegian striker Erling Haaland of Manchester City was the star of a shipment of drugs weighing 450 kg seized by Ecuadorian police.
A press release stated that anti-narcotics officers were conducting an operation based on an anonymous tip received early Tuesday morning that a vehicle carrying narcotics was on a highway called "Pan American".
Police officers noticed a suspicious truck, searched it, and found 370 packages hidden in its concealed bottom.
Police released a video showing the packages, topped with the face of the Manchester City striker, falling from the hidden bottom of the truck.
It is worth noting that Ecuador is a logistical hub for drug trafficking, where drugs are stored and distributed via Central American routes, especially to the United States, as well as Europe.
The estimated value of the shipment is approximately US$842,000 in the local market, over US$11 million in the United States, and over US$19.6 million or €17 million in Europe.
Haaland was not the first global star to have his picture appear on drug packaging, as Lionel Messi was seen on the cover of a $500,000 cocaine bust in Florida last year.
