Blackpool man arrested after police shut down illegal streaming service using 'dodgy fire sticks'
A man from Blackpool was arrested after police took down an illegal streaming service with thousands of customers across the UK.
The man, aged in his 40s, was one of four arrested after police raided addresses in Bolton last week.
Officers shut down and confiscated 10 servers and 'associated equipment' after Sky reported suspicious activity linked to a ‘large scale illicit streaming service’.
The City of London Police - the force behind the raids - said each server was valued at approximately £75,000, with total seizures exceeding £750,000. Police said the servers were shut down at the scene, immediately stopping illegal streams.
Investigators identified four individuals believed to be operating an illegal IPTV service that supplied millions of consumers across the UK. One suspect is alleged to have generated more than £3 million in revenue from the operation.
Three of the four arrested - two women aged 21 and 40, and a 40 year-old-man - were from the Bolton area.
A fourth suspect, a 40-year-old man, is from Blackpool. They were all detained on suspicion of conspiracy to distribute articles infringing copyright and conspiracy to acquire criminal property - money laundering.
All four have been released 'under investigation' as enquiries continue.
What is IPTV?
Internet Protocol Television - or IPTV - is the name for the system that delivers TV content over the internet or broadband. Using unauthorised services through modified equipment is illegal.
A police spokesperson said: "Investigators identified the individuals believed to be operating an illegal IPTV service that supplied millions of consumers across the UK. One suspect is alleged to have generated more than £3m in revenue from the operation.
"During the operation, officers shut down the servers on site. Sky confirmed that widespread disruption affected their illegal streaming output across the UK. The impact demonstrates the tangible effect of coordinated enforcement on protecting consumers and the creative industries.
"This operation is a clear example of effective collaboration between industry and law enforcement to disrupt organised financial crime. The scale and sophistication of the infrastructure uncovered, highlights the ongoing need for vigilance as the television industry celebrate another century of innovation."
Detective Constable Jordan Day, of the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit at the City of London Police, added: "Criminals continue to provide illegal IPTV streaming services to consumers.
“These services are not harmless alternatives; they are examples of organised criminal operations generating millions in illegal profits.
"It is more important than ever that our team works to protect the integrity of broadcasting and the millions of people who rely on it.
“This operation demonstrates the impact we can have when we work closely with partners like Sky to dismantle these illegal networks, sending a clear message to those who profit from piracy that they will be held to account."
Matt Hibbert, Group Director of Anti-Piracy at Sky said: "We thank the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit for taking decisive action against a major pirate operation. We take the protection of our content extremely seriously given the significant investment we make and will continue to work with the police and industry partners to disrupt the criminal networks behind piracy.
"People who watch illegal streams should know that it isn't a victimless crime: recent research by BeStreamWise advise that nearly 65 per cent of illegal streamers have faced security scares like malware through these unlawful methods. This action will help keep consumers, their devices and their personal data safe."