sting operation
Undercover law enforcement
A sting operation is an undercover law enforcement tactic where police pose as criminals—drug buyers, prostitution clients, fences for stolen goods—to catch people in the act of committing crimes.
The term extends to journalistic investigations using similar deception: The reporter ran a sting operation on corrupt building inspectors.
- con gameFraudulent scheme for profit
- undercoverSecretly engaged in espionage
- undercover copDisguised police investigator
- entrapmentDefense against induced criminality
- infiltrationCovert entry into organization
surveillance · law enforcement · arrest · informant · criminal investigation · wire · marked bills · crime · decoy · tradecraft · bait · ruse · false flag · inside job · subterfuge · provocation · criminal · mark
- crime investigationdetective, whodunit, investigation, detectives, investigator
- FBIFBI, agent, special agent, bureau, FBI Academy
- operationsworkflow, workflows, covert op, black op, special ops
- investigationinvestigation, detective, evidence, clue, case
- Manhuntfugitive, manhunt, wanted poster, most wanted, pursuit
- surprise attacksambush, sneak attack, blindside, catch off guard, sneak up
sting operationraid
Sudden armed incursion
police raid · bust · dragnet · manhunt · hot pursuit
sting, operate, operation, stinging, operator, operating, operative, stings, operations