Police crackdown on pirate IPTV content

The supply of pirate Internet Protocol Television (“IPTV”) is a global issue, with authorities all across Europe cracking down on infringers. A large portion of these pirate sites operate in Spain and Italy.

Over the course of the year, Italian police have executed 72 searches across Italy in an attempt to block a pirate website and to seize the funds that are used to finance the scheme. The large scale operation has led to the identification of 22 individuals who have been supplying pirated content from providers such as Sky and DAZN. The investigation has shed light on approximately 65,000 paying customers with an approximated value of €1million per year.

The Economic and Financial Police Unit in Venice begun its operation in 2019 and last week, the law enforcement agency Guardia Di Finanza, executed an order that would effectively block an unnamed pirate website and seize its financial backing. This large scale operation took place across 32 Italian provinces.

At this point in time, it is unclear as to whether any action will be taken against the customers, however this is something the Italian police take seriously. At the beginning of the year, the Italian police reported approximately 223 customers for piracy related content to the appropriate judicial authority. If found guilty, a customer could face fines and a possible prison sentence.

If you have any questions on the above, please do not hesitate to contact the team at McDaniels Law. on 0191 281 4000 or legal@mcdanielslaw.com.