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Ecuador seizes 469kg cocaine in Haaland-faced truck haul

8/13/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Ecuadorian police seized 469 kg of cocaine on August 12, 2026, with bricks bearing Erling Haaland’s face.
The drugs were hidden in a compartment of a truck on the Pan-American Highway near Tulcán.
After a tip, agents recovered 370 packages and arrested driver María R, a Colombian woman.
Interior Minister John Reimberg said the haul is valued at $842,000, over $11 million in the United States and $19.6 million in Europe, with no link to Haaland.

History

Historical Context

The 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act, signed by President Ronald Reagan on October 27, imposed a 20-year mandatory minimum and up to $2 million fines for drug distribution causing death, prompting a surge in federal drug funding. By 1988 the law’s $500 million enforcement budget helped the DEA seize large cocaine shipments, shaping today’s cross-border interdiction efforts.

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Story summary

Ecuadorian police seized 469 kg of cocaine on August 12, 2026, with bricks bearing Erling Haaland’s face.
The drugs were hidden in a compartment of a truck on the Pan-American Highway near Tulcán.
After a tip, agents recovered 370 packages and arrested driver María R, a Colombian woman.
Interior Minister John Reimberg said the haul is valued at $842,000, over $11 million in the United States and $19.6 million in Europe, with no link to Haaland.

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