Legal Definitions - surreptitious-entry warrant

Definition: A surreptitious-entry warrant is a type of warrant that authorizes a law enforcement officer to enter and observe an ongoing criminal operation, such as an illegal drug lab, without the knowledge or consent of the occupants.

Example: A police officer suspects that a house in the neighborhood is being used as a drug lab. The officer obtains a surreptitious-entry warrant from a judge, which allows them to enter the house without the occupants' knowledge and observe any illegal activity. The officer finds evidence of drug manufacturing and arrests the occupants.

This example illustrates how a surreptitious-entry warrant can be used to gather evidence of criminal activity without alerting the suspects.