Peruvian police caused a stir once again by using a tactic of dressing up as the 2026 World Cup mascot during an operation to arrest a suspected drug dealer.
Last Thursday, Peruvian police officers disguised themselves as the 2026 World Cup mascot to approach a suspected drug dealer without raising his suspicion. The police stated that this suspect had previously served nine years in prison for drug trafficking offenses.
Colonel Carlos Freddy Alcantara Obregon, commander of Peru's Green Anti-Narcotics Police Unit, revealed that investigations found the suspect to be an avid football fan who was deeply engaged with the World Cup craze. This motivated the officers to dress as the mascot to avoid arousing the suspect’s suspicion while approaching his home.
The 2026 World Cup has three mascots: Maple the Moose from Canada, Zayu the Jaguar from Mexico, and Clutch the Bald Eagle from the United States. These mascots represent the three host countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Previously, Peruvian police gained fame for covert operations using eye-catching disguises, including dressing as superheroes or even as capybaras to arrest suspects, which made headlines. This time, they tapped into the World Cup hype to carry out their mission.
Source: AP
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