Peru's Green Squadron executed a drug raid in Lima while dressed as two official 2026 FIFA World Cup mascots, a move filmed and posted to the police's TikTok account that quickly went viral. Officers arrested 48-year-old Carlos Cabrera and seized 2,524 packets of cocaine base and a firearm — quantities indicative of distribution. The unit says costumed approaches help agents blend in and preserve the element of surprise in dense urban neighborhoods.
Peru’s Police Raid Drug Den Dressed As 2026 World Cup Mascots — And It Worked
Image Credit: New York Post / YouTube.
In a surreal blend of public safety and fanfare, officers from Peru's National Police Green Squadron carried out a successful drug raid in Lima while wearing full-body 2026 FIFA World Cup mascot costumes. The operation, captured on video and posted to the force's official TikTok account, quickly went viral.
How the Raid Unfolded
According to officials, the target was 48-year-old Carlos Cabrera. Intelligence indicated Cabrera was an avid football fan, so Col. Carlos Alcántara said investigators chose to exploit that enthusiasm rather than risk alerting him with a conventional plainclothes approach. Two officers donned oversized costumes of Clutch the Bald Eagle and Maple the Moose, approached the gated property, and used a metal battering ram to force entry.
The footage shows the mascot heads bouncing and slipping during the breach — an absurd visual that made the clip all the more shareable online — but the tactic achieved its objective. Officers detained Cabrera, posed for photos while reattaching their cartoon heads, and secured a substantial seizure.
Seizure And Legal Context
Police reported recovering 2,524 packets of cocaine base and a firearm at the scene, quantities consistent with distribution rather than personal use. Under Peruvian law, possession of between five and 50 grams of cocaine base can carry a three- to seven-year prison term; the volume recovered at this address suggests involvement in a wider trafficking operation.
Why Costumes?
Col. Pedro Rojas of the Green Squadron explained that costumes let units approach suspects without drawing attention: in dense urban neighborhoods, a giant mascot or costumed performer is often dismissed as harmless activity rather than a threat.
The Green Squadron has used similar disguises before — a Valentine’s Day 2025 operation featured an officer dressed as a capybara with a turtle-shaped backpack, and a November 2022 raid used superhero costumes in an operation dubbed "Marvel." These unconventional entries are meant to preserve the element of surprise and increase officers’ chances of making safe arrests.
Broader Enforcement Effort
The mascot raid is a high-visibility example of street-level tactics, but it sits within a much larger anti-narcotics effort. Peru, where coca cultivation remains a major source of illegal supply, has continued large-scale seizures: in June 2025 authorities displayed roughly 5.5 tonnes of drugs seized in multi-region operations destined, officials say, for international markets.
Timing And Trivia
The raid took place during the opening match of the 2026 World Cup between Mexico and South Africa, which added to the oddity of the clip — Cabrera may have been watching the game when the bald eagle and moose knocked on his door. FIFA’s 2026 mascots represent the tri-nation hosts: Clutch the Bald Eagle (USA), Maple the Moose (Canada), and Zayu the Jaguar (Mexico). In this operation, police deployed two of the three mascots; Zayu was not seen in the footage.
Despite the whimsical optics, authorities stress the operation resulted in a serious criminal arrest and the disruption of a suspected distribution network.
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