Fence, seller of stolen goods, drug peddler. Historically rooted in Russian criminal cant and regional trade slang, it originally designated a fence — someone who buys stolen property from thieves at a low price and resells it for a profit. In modern Russian everyday speech, internet subcultures, and street talk, its meaning has expanded significantly to describe anyone engaged in illicit, predatory, or highly exploitative commerce.
А тут барыга приходит, фарцовщик. Говорит, починить я вам не могу, а вот продать — продам. Секретная разработка, только у меня и есть. Лучше западной.
And then comes the fence, a spiv. He says: I can’t repair stuff, but I can sell all right. Secret design, you can get it only from me. Better than Western.
(Cергей Кузнецов, Семь лепестков, 2004)
