The report says two undercover officers dressed as Clutch and Maple, mascots associated with the 2026 World Cup, before approaching the home of suspected dealer Carlos Cabrera, 48.
Police reportedly believed Cabrera was a committed football fan and calculated that the costumes would attract less suspicion than a conventional approach. Fellow officers then entered the property, allegedly using a metal sledgehammer to break through a door.
It is an extraordinary intersection of football culture and street-level policing. Tournament mascots are designed to create excitement and recognition; in this case, officers reportedly used that familiarity to blend into the atmosphere surrounding a major match.
The update says police reported finding 2,524 packets of cocaine base and a gun after the operation. Authorities reportedly linked the arrest to the Green Squadron, a unit focused on common crime and micro-trafficking.
The legal consequences could depend on the quantity involved and the precise charges filed. The report says Peruvian law provides prison terms for certain micro-trafficking offences, but it does not give the total weight seized in this case.
The approach is reportedly not new for Peruvian police, who have previously used disguises based on fictional characters and festive figures during arrests. Football’s ability to draw crowds, dominate television coverage and create a shared sense of occasion makes tournament periods particularly powerful environments for unusual operations.
As the next World Cup fixtures take centre stage, the Lima raid is likely to remain one of the tournament’s strangest off-field storylines. The next development will be whether investigators release further details about the evidence, charges and suspected trafficking network.