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Tina Krohn for the International Spy Museum
The real-life CIA operative from Argo was a master of deception â although, this particular invention to help spies in the field is a bit nuts.
For the first time ever, the world can see the âscrotum concealment deviceâ in the flesh â an artificial set of testicles designed to help pilots hide an escape radio in the event of a strip search.
It was the brainchild of Tony Mendez, a former CIA chief of disguise, back in the late 1960s. Now, itâs on display for the public at the International Spy Museum in Washington D.C.
Scrotum Concealment Device Tina Krohn for the International Spy Museum
The latex âdeviceâ was designed to be glued onto a manâs scrotum. The idea behind it was down to fragile masculinity: Mendez suspected that male security guards would likely get a bit testy when it comes to âthoroughly searchingâ through a manâs genitals for any contraband, so in theory, itâs perfect.
However, the fake balls werenât destined for greatness. Only the one prototype was made, denied a full roll-out in the field after CIA director Richard Helms reportedly blushed upon seeing a demonstration.

A spokeswoman from the International Spy Museum said in a statement:
Some people donât seem to notice it â we have the largest collection of espionage artefacts ever placed on public display, so there is a lot to see and engage with at the museum.
But if you stand near the artefact, you can see something light up in visitorsâ eyes when they notice it and you typically get some kind of reaction like âoh my god!â or âoh man!â â particularly our male visitors who may have an easier time envisioning wearing the artefact.
There is a level of wonder we see when people try to figure out how it wouldâve worked and how/why someone wouldâve come up with such a crazy concept. We love seeing the reactions to it.
Mendez, who sadly passed away in January last year, was famous for his âcreative and out-of-the-box problem-solving [he] used to solve challenges that came his wayâ.
Perhaps his most well-known plot was the Canadian Caper, in which he masqueraded as a Hollywood producer in order to rescue six Americans caught up in the hostage crisis in Tehran in 1979/80 (this was later adapted for the Oscar-winning film, Argo).

Tony Mendez Argo
The spokeswoman added: âAs goofy as it may look, at the same time, this sort of item could have saved lives.â
Apparently the Fake Scrotum was designed by CIA Troll cum Stable Genius — Lilded JanetÂ
WARNING: Gross CIA Related Coronavirus Graphics
Lilded Janet
CIA Troll, Gadget Designer, Gizmo Inventor. Instagram @lildedjanet









































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