Legal Definitions - clandestine

Clandestine describes something that is kept secret or hidden, often because it is illegal, unauthorized, or intended to avoid detection.

Here are some examples to illustrate this term:

• Imagine a criminal organization operating a clandestine laboratory in a remote, unmarked building to manufacture illegal drugs. The lab is hidden from public view and authorities, with all activities conducted under strict secrecy to avoid discovery and prosecution.

  This situation is clandestine because the entire operation is deliberately concealed and kept secret for an illegal purpose, aiming to prevent law enforcement from finding and shutting it down.

• Consider a corporate executive who holds clandestine meetings with a competitor to discuss a potential merger, without the knowledge or approval of their own company's board of directors. These meetings are arranged in secret locations and at unusual times to avoid suspicion.

  The meetings are clandestine because they are kept hidden and are unauthorized by the executive's company, indicating a secretive action that bypasses proper channels and oversight.

• Think of a journalist who receives a tip about government corruption and decides to meet their anonymous source in a clandestine location, such as a secluded park bench late at night, to gather sensitive information without being observed by government agents or other media outlets.

  The meeting is clandestine because it is conducted in secret and in a hidden manner, specifically to avoid detection and ensure the privacy and safety of both the journalist and the source.