Police in Peru dressed up as superheroes to disguise their true motive and it turns out this isn’t the first time they have done this.

Officers from the Peruvian National Police dressed as Marvel icons Spider-Man, Captain America, Thor and Black Widow to bust criminals in Lima, the country’s capital.

The costumes were used so the officers could blend in with Halloween crowds, until they reached their target and used Thor’s hammer to bust down the door.

The heroes led the way into the home, followed by back-up police.

The people living in the home were taken aback by the costumes and initially thought it was some kind of joke, AFP reported.

Inside, authorities found over 3000 packages of cocaine paste and other bags of cocaine and cannabis, the BBC reported.

The bust led to four suspects being taken into custody, by the superheroes.

The operation was reportedly named ‘Marvel’.

“In this building an entire family was dedicating themselves to the micro-commercialisation of drugs,” police Colonel David Villanueva said according to AFP.

“The drugs were going to be sold in a park nearby.”

Peruvian police known to use disguises

Peruvian police must see some value in dressing up to carry out busts, as this isn’t the first time they have done it.

Similar tactics were used in both 2016 and 2020.

In December 2020, officers from Peru’s National Police’s Grupo Terna unit dressed up as Santa and an elf to carry out their operation, CNN reported.

In 2020, Santa and his elf arrested four people and uncovered drugs and a gun during the operation.

The same unit dressed as Santa and elves back in 2016 and in the past officers have dressed as homeless people to carry out operations, CNN added.