Law enforcement authorities across Europe, supported by Europol and Eurojust, have taken down one of the largest illegal streaming networks operating within and outside the EU.
The investigation targeted 102 suspects, 11 of whom were arrested, for distributing material from streaming services online illegally, including movies and series. They also pirated more than 2 500 television channels such as sports broadcasters, making them available to over 22 million users worldwide without the consent of the copyright holders.
Results of the operation include:
- 102 suspects identified
- 11 people arrested
- Over 112 house searches conducted
- At least 29 servers seized
- 100 domains taken down
- 270 IPTV equipment/devices seized
- Over 560 resellers identified
- Various drugs and weapons seized
- Around EUR 1.6 million in cryptocurrency and EUR 40,000 in cash seized
This operation probably cost ten times whatever the streaming/tv companies said they lost.
My Dutch Usenet provider has been DMCAing a lot more content lately. Seems EU is putting quite a bit of investment into anti piracy lately.
100% corporate law enforcement.
In Italy there’s a distopia called “Piracy Shield” that is banhamming random sites (for a day also Google Drive was banned WTF). Is an IP ban system, so you cannot escape changing DNS, is directly controlled by Lega Calcio; they can ban an IP for no reason in about 30 minutes. (Fun fact: it’s supported by a law that requires ALL VPNs of the whole world follow the ban LOL)
So the Italian government gave to a private company the power to virtually shutdown the internet in Italy.
Imagine if these agencies investigated crimes.
clearly, they are underworked if they have time for this bullshit.
Corporate law enforcement corps.
Feels like we are really being targeted lately. So frustrating to hear this is a global priority with all the significant issues affecting humanity that these efforts could be directed towards.
