In a love story with a twist that not even Hollywood could dream up, Lima’s finest took Valentine’s Day to new heights in a sting operation that’s more “Ted” meets “Narcos” than “The Notebook.” Picture this: a police officer, decked out in a teddy bear costume complete with the world’s most deceptive box of chocolates, takes to the streets of Lima, Peru, not in search of love, but to apprehend a suspected drug dealer. Yes, you heard that right—a teddy bear on a mission.
The operation, carried out on the day dedicated to love and friendship, saw our plush protagonist luring the suspect out of her house with the promise of a Valentine’s Day gift. The unsuspecting woman, perhaps expecting a gesture of romance, was met instead by the long arm of the law. As she stepped out to receive her “gift,” officers swooped in, leading to her arrest along with another woman following the raid in San Martín de Porres. The haul? More than 1,000 packages of cocaine paste, a Valentine’s Day surprise that was surely not on her wishlist.
The teddy bear officer, who later revealed himself sans mask but still in costume, might not have been the hero we expected, but he’s the one we got. In a poetic twist, he was holding a sign that read “You are my reason to smile,” a message that, in hindsight, was probably more fitting for the police than the suspect, who mistook the bear as a gesture from her partner.
This operation, however, isn’t Lima’s first rodeo with creative law enforcement tactics. The Escuadron Verde, or Green Squad, known for its undercover operations against street crimes, has previously seen one of its officers dressed as Santa Claus in a December drug raid. That operation featured Santa Claus himself wielding a sledgehammer to break down the door of a drug den, proving that when it comes to innovative crime-fighting, Lima’s police force has a bag full of tricks.
The Peruvian National Police spokesman, Jose Honorio, couldn’t resist a chuckle at the absurdity, remarking, “Can you imagine a triple-plush teddy bear captured a drug dealer? On the day of love and friendship?” It’s a story that adds a whole new layer to the phrase “undercover operation,” blending the worlds of romance, comedy, and crime-fighting into one unforgettable Valentine’s Day. So, the next time you think about the ultimate Valentine’s Day surprise, remember: in Lima, it could mean a teddy bear with handcuffs.
