Narc (narcotics)

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Nark redirects here. For other uses of narc or nark, see NARC.

A narc, also spelled nark (not a contraction of "narcotic agent", but the word predates the criminalization of narcotics^{[citation needed]}), is a term for a narcotics agent or police informant who provides information to the police about drug offenders. It is more often used to refer to undercover agents than police officers. Some drug offenders, once caught, turn into informants as part of an agreement with the police to avoid charges.

It is also sometimes used in popular culture to refer to someone who is against people consuming drugs of their own free will.

A sub-category is "poison nark", an apparent informer who is actually providing false or highly selective information.