Knock, knock. It’s Maple? Or the cops

A suspected drug dealer, named Carlos Cabrera in Peru, thought the FIFA World Cup had arrived on his doorstep when Maple the Moose and Clutch the Bald Eagle showed up outside his home.

But instead of mascots handing out football cheer, he was greeted by police officers in a bid to catch him off guard.The most unexpected away teamThe operation was carried out by the Peruvian National Police’s Green Squad – a unit known for its theatrical undercover tactics. Squad chief Colonel Carlos Fredy Alcántara Obregón told AP that the suspect was a “die-hard football fan, living and breathing the World Cup fever.” To avoid arousing suspicion, officers leaned into the obsession.

Dressed head-to-toe as the mascots, they approached the house in a Lima neighbourhood while cameras rolled.

For the record, Zayu the Jaguar, the tournament’s third mascot, did not make an appearance.When the mascot heads came offThe feel-good mascot visit ended abruptly when the officers smashed through a metal gate, stormed the property and handcuffed Carlos. Video footage shows that despite a couple of officers losing their oversized mascot heads during the charge, the operation went as planned. As per media reports, police said they recovered drugs, weapons and other evidence from the property. Carlos was later seen being escorted through the streets by Maple and Clutch – this time with the mascot heads back on.

Apparently, when it comes to fighting crime, a costume is sometimes mightier than a badge.