Law enforcement agencies from ten European countries have dismantled one of the largest illegal streaming services in the world.
The service reportedly had around 22 million users and caused millions of euros in losses to content rights holders. According to Europol, the investigation involved 102 suspects, 11 of whom were arrested for distributing pirated content, including movies and TV shows. The name of the blocked service has not been disclosed.
The illegal platform provided access to over 2,500 television channels, including sports broadcasts, offering content to millions of users worldwide without authorization from copyright owners.
Eurojust reported that the damage caused to rights holders is estimated at around €10 billion. The service operators reportedly earned over €250 million per month from their illicit activities. Investigators are also examining potential links to other crimes, such as money laundering and cybercrime.
According to MUSO, a UK-based company that tracks piracy, illegal streaming of films and TV shows accounted for approximately 215 billion site visits in 2022, highlighting the global scale of the piracy problem.
