Police in Peru turned World Cup hype into an undercover operation, dressing up as FIFA 2026 mascots to raid a suspected drug dealer in Lima.
Video posted to the police force’s official TikTok account showed officers wearing costumes of Clutch the Bald Eagle, the U.S. mascot, and Maple the Moose, Canada’s mascot, as they stormed a property on Wednesday.
The costumed officers were seen smashing through a gate with a battering ram before arresting a man in a white T-shirt.
Police said they also recovered packets of white powder and a firearm during the bust.
The video was captioned, “World Cup Mode: Operation ends with the fall of ‘Pichichi,’” referring to the suspect’s nickname. The name is also a nod to the trophy given to the top scorer in Spain’s soccer league.
Col. Carlos Fredy Alcántara Obregón, head of the police’s Green Squad, said officers learned the suspect was a major soccer fan who had been caught up in World Cup excitement.
“So we proceeded to disguise my Green Squad personnel as World Cup mascots in order to approach him without arousing suspicion and make the arrest,” he said.
The strange strategy apparently worked.
Footage showed the mascot-clad officers leading the suspect away as other police congratulated them on the arrest.
It was not the first time Peru’s police used a bizarre disguise to pull off a bust.
On Valentine’s Day 2025, an officer dressed as a capybara and carrying a turtle-shaped backpack helped make an arrest in another Lima drug investigation.
Other officers have also reportedly gone undercover as Marvel superheroes.
Peru did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup after finishing ninth among the 10 CONMEBOL teams.
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Pathetic