dragnet

dragnet
    n 1: a system of coordinated measures for apprehending
         (criminals or other individuals); "caught in the police
         dragnet"
    2: a conical fishnet dragged through the water at great depths
       [syn: {trawl}, {dragnet}, {trawl net}]
    

Dragnet \Drag"net`\, n. [Cf. AS. dr[ae]gnet.]
   A net to be drawn along the bottom of a body of water, as in
   fishing.
   [1913 Webster]
    

76 Moby Thesaurus words for "dragnet":
      abduction, apprehension, arrest, arrestation, bait, birdlime, bola,
      capture, catch, catching, cobweb, collaring, coup,
      domiciliary visit, exploration, fishhook, fly, forage,
      forcible seizure, frisk, gill net, grab, grabbing, ground bait,
      hold, hook, house-search, hunt, hunting, jig, kidnapping, lariat,
      lasso, lime, lure, meshes, nabbing, net, noose, perquisition,
      picking up, plug, posse, pound net, power grab, prehension, probe,
      purse seine, quest, ransacking, rummage, running in, search,
      search party, search warrant, search-and-destroy operation,
      searching, seine, seizure, seizure of power, snare, snatch,
      snatching, sniggle, spinner, springe, squid, stalk, stalking,
      still hunt, taking in, taking into custody, toils, trawl,
      turning over, wobbler