Two Peruvian police officers disguised as World Cup mascots Clutch and Maple assisted local authorities in apprehending a suspected drug dealer, Carlos Cabrera, during the opening match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa. Col. Carlos Alcántara, head of the Green Squadron, stated that intelligence work revealed Cabrera’s deep interest in football, leading to the creative disguise plan.
The officers used a metal sledgehammer to break down a door, entering with colleagues while collecting evidence at the scene. They posted a video on social media showing their successful operation, which resulted in 2,524 packets of cocaine base and a gun being seized. In Peru, possession of 5 to 50 grams of cocaine base can lead to three to seven years in prison.
This is not the first time Peruvian police have used creative disguises for operations; previous examples include costumes as the Grinch, Freddy Krueger, Deadpool, Wolverine, and even Santa Claus. In 2024, an officer dressed as a bear on Valentine’s Day was used to coax a female drug suspect from her home.