Drug raid in Lima: Police officers disguised as World Cup mascots arrest dealer
Two undercover detectives stormed a house in Lima dressed in World Cup mascot costumes and arrested Carlos Cabrera (48). Drugs and a weapon were seized from him.
World Cup costumes as cover: Peruvian police snatch drug dealer "Pichichi"
According to 20 Minuten, two undercover detectives stormed a house in the Peruvian capital Lima last week dressed in the costumes of football World Cup mascots "Clutch" and "Maple". Using a battering ram, they forced open the gate and arrested the suspected drug dealer Carlos Cabrera (48) — known by the nickname "Pichichi". The raid was part of a targeted strategy by the Peruvian police in fighting drug trafficking.
The arrest was documented on the official TikTok channel of the Peruvian police. The officers, dressed as a bald eagle and a moose, can be seen escorting Cabrera away in a white undershirt. During the search, the officers seized several packets of white powder and a firearm.
According to US broadcaster CBS, the operation took place last Thursday — precisely during the World Cup opening match between Mexico and South Africa (2:1).
Football fan as target
Colonel Carlos Fredy Alcántara Obregón, head of the so-called Green Unit of the police, explained to ESPN: "Thanks to the intelligence work of the team, we were able to determine that the person we wanted to arrest was a dedicated football fan who was caught up in World Cup fever." The disguise as World Cup mascots made it possible to approach Cabrera unnoticed.
Unusual disguises as method
The Peruvian police have been relying on unusual cover for arrests for some time now. On Valentine's Day 2025, an officer dressed as a capybara with a turtle-shaped rucksack made an arrest in Lima. Previous operations saw police officers in the costumes of Marvel characters "Deadpool" and "Wolverine" as well as "the Grinch" and horror figure "Freddy Krueger".
Peru itself was not qualified for the ongoing World Cup. The country's last World Cup participation dates from 2018.
Source: 20 Minuten