Action by authorities from Italy, Romania, Spain, the United Kingdom, Canada, Kosovo and South Korea, together with Eurojust and Europol, have led to the seizure of multiple illegal streaming services. Following another successful international operation in 2024, authorities dismantled an extensive infrastructure that offered live and on-demand programming protected by broadcasting rights to millions of users worldwide.
Investigations into the illegal services started after large volumes of data were seized during the international operation Taken Down, supported by Eurojust. By analysing the data, traffic and networks used by the illegal streaming services and by tracking cryptocurrency transactions, an international criminal group identified as being behind the operation.
The 31 suspected members of the group are believed to have engaged in the unauthorised distribution of pay-TV content, illegal access to IT systems, computer fraud and money laundering. As their profits grew, the group expanded its operations and begin offering illegal services on a global scale. To conceal illicit revenues amounting to several million euros per month, the suspects laundered their profits through cryptocurrency investments and shell companies.
Eurojust and Europol have supported this case since the beginning. Eurojust ensured that the judicial authorities were able to collaborate, share information and plan joint actions to take down the illegal streaming services. After the successful action day in 2024, Europol continued to support the investigating countries with analytical support, organised operational meetings and deployed two experts to the recent action day in Italy.
An action day in nine countries led to the shutdown of the illegal streaming services for millions of users globally. In Italy, three well-known illegal IPTV platforms were seized. In Romania, a major global IPTV provider distributing content through servers located in the country was taken down.
The actions were carried out by the following authorities: Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office Catania; Telecommunication and cyber security Police Service Rome; Telecommunication and cyber security Police Operative Center Catania, Romania: Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism; Economic Crime Investigation Directorate - General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police; Directorate for Combating Organized Crime - General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police, Spain: Public Prosecutor’s Office Malaga and United Kingdom: City of London police