New York, Oct 20 (IANS): Social networking site Facebook has asked the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to desist from creating fake profiles to nab criminals.

In a letter to the agency, Facebook's chief security officer Joe Sullivan wrote: "We regard the DEA's conduct to be a knowing and serious breach of Facebook's terms and policies. The social network asks that the DEA immediately confirm that it has ceased all activities on Facebook that involve the impersonation of others or that otherwise violate our terms and policies".

The trigger for the Facebook action happened when 28-year-old Sondra Arquiett sued DEA agent Timothy Sinnigen for violating her privacy.

In court filings, the DEA admitted that Sinnigen used photos obtained from Arquiett's cellphone to create a phony Facebook account, the Verge reported.

Arquiett later pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy pertaining to the distribute cocaine and was sentenced to probation.

Facebook has shut down Arquiett's phony account, reports added.