There's only one thing the Grinch hates more than Christmas — and that's criminals.
An undercover Peruvian officer dressed as the famous Dr. Seuss character has led a police operation in Lima to dismantle a drug trafficking gang.
An agent in the Green Squadron, a specialised unit of the Special Operations Division in Peru, went "unnoticed" before he busted open the home of suspected drug traffickers in San Bartolo, southern Lima.
A video released by police shows the Grinch in a Santa suit, searching the house and finding money and drugs.
The Grinch had participated in a Christmas activity prior to the drug bust, ensuring the police presence in the neighbourhood went unnoticed, according to head of the Police Green Squadron Colonel Carlos Lopez Aedo.
“Using the ingenuity and cleverness [of the unit] we used the Grinch after an activity for Christmas,” said Mr Lopez Aedo.
“The presence of the Grinch went unnoticed."
"He was the one who initiated the operation by breaking the access door and we managed to capture these three drug traffickers," he said.
Authorities said they seized packages of cocaine hydrochloride and cocaine paste, as well as precision instruments such as scales and strainers.
Police officers said they made three arrests.
After the successful raid, the Grinch only had one thing to say.
"I hate Christmas and criminals."
The Peruvian police unit involved often dresses its agents up as famous characters as they carry out operations during holiday periods.
Agents in the past have dressed up as superheroes, as well as horror movie characters like Freddy Krueger.
ABC/wires