Police across 10 countries have taken part in a massive operation targeting what is believed to be the world’s largest piracy network.
Properties were raided in the UK, as well as Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Romania as part of Operation Takendown.
The criminal network was allegedly serving pirated content to over 22 million users in Europe, generating over 250 million euros in illegal revenue each month.
The law enforcement operation, which was supported by the Audiovisual Anti-Piracy Alliance (AAPA), resulted in the seizure of €1.65 million in cryptocurrency and 11 arrests, while a further 102 people are under investigation.
“The scale of these multi-jurisdictional law enforcement actions highlights the considerable challenge our industry faces when dealing with such sophisticated international pirate networks,” said Mark Mulready, co-president of AAPA.
“We are proud to have collaborated with our law enforcement partners to provide technical training and in-field support to assist them in successfully tackling the world’s largest pirate network.”
The operation follows a two-year investigation involving Europol, which involved monitoring social media platforms and illegal streaming forums.
Europol said in a press release that beyond copyright infringement, there was evidence of other criminal activity, including money laundering and cyber crime.
At least 29 computer servers were seized during the operation, as well as hundreds of IPTV devices, which were used to illegally distribute pirated movies, series and television channels.
Around 100 websites and domains were also taken down, which were suspected of hosting illegal free streams.
“This sends a strong message that, alongside our partners, we are committed to dismantling pirate networks across borders and holding their ringleaders accountable,” said Matt Hibbert, group director of anti-piracy at Sky.
“We will continue supporting efforts to end digital piracy and protect consumers from the risks of these illegal services.”