Europol Arrests 11 in Shutdown of Illegal IPTV Streaming Networks
Europol and law enforcement agencies across Europe recently teamed up to crack down on a massive illegal streaming network, resulting in the arrests of 11 individuals involved in the operation. These networks have been popping up both in the EU and globally, using a technology called IPTV to deliver TV channels over the internet. The group behind this particular takedown was accused of pirating over 2,500 channels, with a focus on sports content, and making them available to a whopping 22 million people worldwide.
The Italian District Attorney’s Office of Catania revealed that this illegal IPTV operation was raking in a staggering €250 million ($263 million) each month, totaling an eye-popping €3 billion annually. The damages caused to legitimate streaming services by this operation amounted to a whopping €10 billion annually. Aside from copyright infringement, Europol also accused the group of engaging in money laundering and cybercrime.
During the operation, more than 112 raids were carried out, resulting in the seizure of 29 servers and 270 IPTV devices. Authorities also uncovered drugs, weapons, and around €1.7 million in cryptocurrency and cash. The collaborative effort involved law enforcement agencies from Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Italy hailed the operation as the biggest crackdown on audiovisual piracy ever conducted in the country.
Over the course of two years, various Italian agencies meticulously planned and executed the operation, which ultimately dismantled a sophisticated IT infrastructure that illegally served 22 million users around the world. This network was capturing and reselling live and on-demand content from major TV platforms like Sky, Dazn, and Netflix without permission. It’s quite a relief to see such illegal activities being taken down by dedicated law enforcement agencies working across borders to protect legitimate businesses and consumers alike.
