Peru Police in Mascot Disguise Arrest Suspected Drug Dealer During World Cup Match

Peruvian police have arrested a suspected drug dealer in Lima after two officers disguised as World Cup mascots assisted in a covert operation during the tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa.

Colonel Carlos Alcántara, head of the Green Squadron unit responsible for tackling street crime, said the suspect, identified as 48-year-old Carlos Cabrera, was tracked and arrested after intelligence indicated he was heavily engaged in World Cup celebrations.

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“Thanks to intelligence work, we realized the suspect was a passionate football fan and fully absorbed in World Cup activities, so we decided to use disguised officers dressed as mascots to approach him without suspicion,” Alcántara said.

The disguised officers, dressed as mascots Clutch and Maple, reportedly used a metal sledgehammer to force entry into the suspect’s location alongside other police operatives during the raid.

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Clutch, which represents the United States as a bald eagle, and Maple, which represents Canada as a moose, were part of a broader awareness campaign tied to the World Cup, while Mexico’s mascot is a jaguar named Zayu.

Authorities said the operation led to the recovery of 2,524 packets of cocaine base as well as a firearm allegedly found at the scene.

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Peruvian law classifies micro-trafficking of cocaine base as a criminal offence punishable by three to seven years in prison depending on the quantity involved, which in this case falls within the legal threshold for prosecution.

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