Police in Peru are resorting to ever more bizarre tactics to crack down on suspected cocaine cowboys, catching one such dope slinger with a sneaky Valentine’s ruse.
Donning a full body cuddly bear outfit, a daring officer from the Policia Nacional del Peru strolled up to the apartment of one woman believed to be a drug dealer in the capital Lima.
Clutching a heart-shaped balloon and a box of chocolates in an apparent profession of love, the officer got down on one knee and beckoned the dealer – a dumpy woman wearing a loose black t-shirt – down from her balcony and onto the street.
It was unclear whether police had intelligence the suspect was expecting a Valentine’s stunt from another man, or whether she was simply intrigued by the outlandish show of affection.
But she took the bait and clambered down.
Moments later, she realised the gravity of her mistake as officer Paddington suddenly tore off his mask and sprung into action, bundling his target to the ground and slapping on handcuffs.
Hilarious photos later showed how the cuffed suspect was paraded through the streets by cops – and a big, fluffy, caramel-coloured mammal.
Clutching a heart-shaped balloon and a box of chocolates in an apparent profession of love, the officer got down on one knee
Police used a giant cuddly Valentine’s Day bear disguise to lure out suspected drug dealers from a house in Lima
Hilarious photos later showed how the cuffed suspect was paraded through the streets by cops – and a big, fluffy, caramel-coloured mammal
The officer took off his disguise before showing a stack of confiscated drugs
The suspects were paraded, along with the haul of seized narcotics, before being photographed next to a table on which the box of chocolates used by the officer to lure the lady outside had been laid. Alongside the chocolates lay a hand-painted sign that read: ‘You are my reason to smile’
While officer Paddington led the suspect away from the scene, the anti-drug police, who had sadly decided to don their regular crime-busting garb, turned the apartment upside down in search for the narcotics.
Their search turned up a stack of drugs concealed under a mattress, with a second stash forced underneath a drain cover just outside the house.
A second female suspect was detained at the premises and hauled in for questioning.
The cuddly cop was later seen in one image giving a consoling hug to the woman who was seen sobbing – a touching moment of humanity amid an otherwise brutal and bizarre affair.
The suspects were then paraded, along with the haul of seized narcotics, before being photographed next to a table on which the box of chocolates used by the officer to lure the lady outside had been laid.
Alongside the chocolates lay a hand-painted sign that read: ‘You are my reason to smile’.
One female suspect is led away by the officer still wearing his bear suit
Cops found drugs concealed under a mattress and a drain outside the house
One suspect is pinned to the ground amid the arrest
The dramatic drug bust was captured on video
The amusing takedown of the suspected dealers by the cuddly cop belies a harsh reality.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Peru remains one of the world’s largest producers of cocaine, fuelling a global market worth untold billions of dollars annually, leaving Peruvian law enforcement agencies scrambling to fight back.
The National Police of Peru (PNP) leads the charge, employing a combination of intelligence gathering, interdiction operations, and collaboration with international partners to root out and crack down on major drug operations.
Last March, Peruvian authorities seized a massive 2.3 tonnes of cocaine disguised as ceramic tiles destined for Turkey via a growing maritime route for illicit drugs.
The drug bust took place at Peru’s biggest port, El Callao, just outside the capital Lima, and was seen as a major scoop for the Peruvian anti-drug teams in that it was the first drug shipment destined for Turkey that they managed to seize.
‘This is the first incident that we know of [in which the cargo was in] Peruvian ports and its final destination was Turkey. Usually, we are aware of ports in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and France,’ said El Callao’s police chief, Colonel Luis Angel Bolanos.
But these large victories are few and far between – and barely make a dent in the country’s production or export of the Class A drug.
