What is "sting operation"

n. a complicated confidence game planned and executed with great care (especially an operation implemented by undercover agents to apprehend criminals)

In law enforcement, a sting operation is a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime. A typical sting will have a law-enforcement officer or cooperative member of the public play a role as criminal partner or potential victim and go along with a suspect's actions to gather evidence of the suspect's wrongdoing. Even mass media journalists resort to sting operations to record video and broadcast to expose criminal activity.

Sting operations are common in many countries including the United States, but not allowed in other countries such as Sweden.