Last week, the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at City of London Police made 4 arrests and seized 4 servers in Manchester following reports from Sky of a large-scale illicit streaming service. This is part of PIPCU’s plans to take decisive action against large scale illegal IPTV streaming.
The servers and associated equipment seized were valued at approximately £750,000 in total. The individuals are believed to have operated an illegal IPTV service, with one suspect allegedly having generated more than £3 million in revenue from the operation. The servers were shut down by the police at the scene, disrupting the illegal operation, with Sky confirming that their illegal streaming output in the UK was affected.
The uncovering of this operation by PIPCU shows the scale of illegal streaming operations in the UK, and the importance of vigilance in tackling piracy. Detective Constable Jordan Day of PIPCU said that their collaboration with industry partners such as Sky will send a message to people profiting from piracy in the UK that they will be held accountable for their illegal activity.
If you have any questions on the above, or if you need any advice or support in respect of your own Intellectual Property, please do not hesitate to contact the team at McDaniels Law on 0191 281 4000 or legal@mcdanielslaw.com.
