PERUVIAN POLICE USE WORLD CUP MASCOTS IN LIMA DRUGS RAID

Officers from Lima's Green Squad dressed as Clutch the Bald Eagle and Maple the Moose during a drugs raid this week. The mascots, representing the United States and Canada respectively at this year's World Cup, were used to approach a suspect without raising alarm. Police broke through a gate before making an arrest. Colonel Carlos Fredy Alcántara Obregón, head of the Green Squad, said officers had established that the suspect was a keen football fan absorbed in World Cup fever.

Intelligence work identified the suspect's interest in the tournament as key to the operation's success. The Green Squad personnel selected Clutch and Maple as disguises to approach the individual without arousing suspicion. According to FIFA, Clutch "leads by action – rallying teammates, lifting spirits and turning every challenge into an opportunity to rise higher", qualities deemed suitable for high-pressure situations. Maple is described as "a street style-loving artist", allowing the moose character to blend into Lima's environment.

The third World Cup mascot, Zayu the Jaguar, did not participate in the operation. The raid demonstrates cooperation between Canadian and US law enforcement working through Peruvian police. No further details about the suspect or charges were provided in official statements.