Ecuador police seize 370kg of cocaine near Colombian border

News Ecuador police seize 370kg of cocaine near Colombian border Police guards drugs seized in various police operations to be incinerated in Cayambe, Ecuador, Thursday, April 21, 2022.   -   Copyright © africanews Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved By Rédaction Africanews and AP Last updated: 13/08 - 17:00 Ecuador Ecuadorian police said Wednesday officers seized a shipment of packages containing 369 kilograms (793.664 pounds) of cocaine near the Colombian border. Police said in a statement that anti-narcotics officers were conducting an operation when they spotted a "suspicious" truck. A search uncovered 370 packages of drugs concealed in a modified section of the vehicle, according to Capt. Ximena Sangolquiza, head of Carchi Anti-Narcotics Unit. Footage released by police showed the packages bearing the image of Norwegian soccer star Erling Haaland, who was one of the top scorers and most charismatic players at the recent World Cup in Mexico, the United States and Canada. His image sparked a wave of viral videos and images around the world. Alongside a picture of Haaland wearing the Norwegian national team jersey, the packages also featured the World Cup trophy and a ball. Among the packages seized and displayed on the ground by the agents, one could also be seen with the name and image of the captain of the Argentine national team, Lionel Messi. The official statement made no mention of the reason for the labeling. It is common practice for drug traffickers to put the names of well-known sports figures and other celebrities on their shipments to identify which criminal network produced the merchandise and which client it belongs to, among other reasons. Police said the truck driver was arrested. The operation took place in an area known as Guagua Negro, near the border city of Tulcán, 246 kilometers (153 miles) north of the capital. Ecuador is considered by authorities to be a logistics hub in the drug-trafficking chain, where drugs are collected, stored and distributed along routes through Central America to the United States and also shipped to Europe. Local criminal gangs allied with cartels in Colombia and Mexico manage trafficking routes and drug shipments. Authorities say 80% of the narcotics originate in Colombia and the remainder in Peru. You may also like 01:14 Spain PM Pedro Sanchez rules out Moroccan role in Ceuta migrant surge 7 minutes ago 01:10 Algeria moves to restore death penalty for deliberate forest fires 29 minutes ago 00:56 Notting Hill Carnival kicks off in a burst of colour and Caribbean tradition 2 hours ago Share More About Ecuador Ecuador politics Drug-trafficking You may also like 01:14 Spain PM Pedro Sanchez rules out Moroccan role in Ceuta migrant surge 7 minutes ago 01:10 Algeria moves to restore death penalty for deliberate forest fires 29 minutes ago 00:56 Notting Hill Carnival kicks off in a burst of colour and Caribbean tradition 2 hours ago On the same subject NEWS 01:06 Algerian police seize 33 kg of cocaine in major drug bust 21/08 - 20:47 NEWS 00:51 Former Liberian vice president charged in transnational drug probe 20/08 - 10:53 NEWS 01:00 Nigeria seizes thousands of kilograms of drugs as trafficking concerns grow 27/07 - 18:35 NEWS 01:05 Two former Moroccan politicians jailed in 'Escobar of the Sahara' drug case 26/06 - 19:07 NEWS Go to video Moroccan court jails 29 in major drug trafficking case 26/06 - 16:48 SPORT 01:21 Ivory Coast ends Ecuador's 19-game winning streak as Sweden pounds Tunisia 15/06 - 09:23 More stories 01:25 General Abdourahamane Tchiani Calm returns to Niger's capital one day after failed army mutiny 7 hours ago 01:02 Coup Vote counting underway in Guinea-Bissau referendum that could expand presidential powers 6 hours ago 00:56 United Kingdom Notting Hill Carnival kicks off in a burst of colour and Caribbean tradition 2 hours ago