Ecuadorian authorities have seized 469 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a truck during an operation near the country’s border with Colombia, authorities said.

Anti-narcotics officers carried out the operation on the Pan-American Highway in the Guagua Negro area near the city of Tulcan, close to the Colombian border.

Officers stopped and searched a suspicious truck, where they discovered a concealed compartment built into the vehicle’s floor. A total of 370 packages containing 469 kilograms of cocaine were found inside.

A woman identified as a Colombian national and named only as “María R.” was detained during the operation.

Cocaine packages carried Haaland’s image

Images released by police after the operation showed photographs of Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland printed on the cocaine packages.

Authorities have not yet explained why Haaland’s image was used on the packages.

Drug trafficking groups are known to use images of famous athletes and other public figures on shipments, sometimes as markings to identify the criminal organization behind the consignment or its intended recipient.

Ecuador remains key trafficking route

Ecuador has emerged as a major logistics hub along drug trafficking routes connecting South America with North America and Europe.

Local criminal groups are reported to cooperate with Colombian and Mexican cartels in storing and transporting narcotics through the country.

Authorities estimate that around 80% of drugs transported through Ecuador originate in Colombia, while most of the remainder comes from Peru.

According to police data, approximately 80 tons of drugs were seized in Ecuador during the first half of this year.(ILKHA)