Police Shuts Down €250m-Per-Month Pirate Streaming Network

Authorities describe this as the largest operation against illegal streaming services in both Italy and internationally.

Italy – An international crackdown has dismantled a massive pirate streaming service generating an estimated €250 million ($263 million) per month and serving over 22 million users worldwide.

The operation, codenamed “Taken Down,” was led by Italy’s Postal and Cybersecurity Police Service in collaboration with Eurojust, Europol, and law enforcement agencies from several European countries.

Largest Takedown of Its Kind

Authorities describe this as the largest operation against illegal streaming services in both Italy and internationally. A total of 270 Postal Police officers executed 89 searches across 15 Italian regions, with additional raids in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, Croatia, and China. The investigation, initiated by the Catania Prosecutor’s Office, led to the identification of 102 suspects and 11 arrests carried out by Croatian police.

Key Figures and Network

Investigators identified three high-ranking administrators of the streaming network in England and the Netherlands. They also uncovered 80 streaming control panels across Italy used to manage illegal IPTV channels. The organization allegedly operated as a highly structured transnational network, illegally capturing and redistributing content from platforms such as Sky, DAZN, Mediaset, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Disney+, and Paramount.

Seized Infrastructure and Assets

The operation resulted in the seizure of over 2,500 illegal streaming channels and their supporting servers, with key infrastructure found in Romania and Hong Kong. Additionally, authorities confiscated €1.65 million ($1.74 million) in cryptocurrencies and €40,000 ($42,000) in cash.

Significant Financial Impact

The pirated service is believed to have caused annual financial damages of approximately €10 billion ($10.5 billion) to legitimate broadcasters. Authorities revealed that the illegal service sold access to its channels through a vast network of distributors and resellers, generating enormous revenues from its global subscriber base.

Sophisticated Operations

The two-year investigation uncovered the network’s use of encrypted communication platforms, fake identities, and forged documents to evade detection. Those arrested now face charges including illegal streaming, unauthorized system access, computer fraud, and money laundering.

Industry and Public Reaction

The takedown highlights the scale of global piracy but has also reignited debate over financial damage estimates. Critics argue that the assumption every user of such services would otherwise subscribe to legal platforms is flawed. While many support the crackdown, others point to the need for similar efforts to combat other cybercrimes like ransomware.