Police in Peru took World Cup fever to another level, disguising themselves as FIFA 2026 mascots to stage a dramatic drug raid in Lima.
Video posted on the police force’s official TikTok account showed officers dressed as Clutch the Bald Eagle, the US mascot, and Maple the Moose, Canada’s mascot, smashing through a gate with a battering ram Wednesday before arresting a man in a white T-shirt.
The footage also showed officers recovering packets of white powder and a firearm.
Cops in Peru dressed up as a couple World Cup mascots to take down a suspected drug dealer with football fever on June 10, 2026. PERU'S NATIONAL POLICE/AFP via Getty ImagesThe video was captioned: “World Cup Mode: Operation ends with the fall of ‘Pichichi,'” the nickname of the small-time drug dealer and a reference to the trophy awarded to the top scorer in the Spanish league.
Col. Carlos Fredy Alcántara Obregón, head of the police’s Green Squad, said officers learned their target was a football fanatic swept 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 unusual tactic worked — and it wasn’t even Peru’s first costumed bust.
On Valentine’s Day 2025, an officer dressed as a capybara carrying a turtle-shaped backpack helped make an arrest in another Lima drug investigation.
The undercover duo made a successful arrest and were congratulated by fellow police officers. PERU'S NATIONAL POLICE/AFP via Getty Images
The video taken by police in Peru showed them recovering white powder. PERU'S NATIONAL POLICE/AFP via Getty ImagesOther officers have also previously disguised themselves as Marvel superheroes, according to ESPN.
Peru failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, finishing ninth among the 10 CONMEBOL teams, but its police force may already be a contender for tournament mascot of the year.
