Video footage showed how the disguised police members, from an undercover police group, took weapons out of their Christmas sack before raiding the property where the alleged criminals were hiding.

The police officers said they arrested four members of the `Pinto` clan and seized 4,564 cocaine paste wrappings hidden in three houses.

According to local media reports, one of the detainees was named as Victor Pinto Carrasco, 60. The others are reportedly related to him.

The suspects had allegedly used their homes in the district of Comas as a drug dispatch centre to gangs, criminals and addicts in the area of Collique.

Police escorted the arrested men into a waiting police vehicle.

As one of the arrested men was being led out by police, a woman was heard shouting abuse at him, telling him: "I told you moron! I`m going to make your life hell, I can assure you! I told you! You are evil!"

Colonel Jorge Luis Angulo, chief of the Green squad in charge of the raid, said using disguises in the operation facilitates the elements of speed and surprise.

"There is a Santa Claus who is also doing his Christmas campaign work, however he has a mallet," Col Angula said.

"He breaks down the door because he has judicial authorisation, so that makes it easier for us to be able to raid, quickly penetrate that property and be able to arrest the people inside, obviously involved in the issue of selling small amounts."

The four suspects were presented to the media and were placed at the disposal of the Joint Provincial Prosecutor of Condevilla, in Comas.

Peru is virtually tied with Colombia as the world`s top cocaine producer.

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