Illegal streaming service with 2m users taken down

Spanish police have dismantled a network illegally distributing audio-visual content and laundering the criminal proceeds.

The illegal distributers were broadcasting across three continents – Europe, Asia and the Middle East – broadcasting more than 40,000 TV channels, movies and series and earning an estimated €15m in illegal profits. The illegal service was made available through an attractive web environment at prices much more competitive than the ones on the legal market.

The operation – assisted by Europol and law enforcement in other countries – included raids on 15 houses and resulted in 11 arrests – including a person suspected of being the ringleader of the gang – with another 16 individuals taken in for questioning.

The actions resulted in the seizure of €4.8m, including properties worth more than €2m, four cars worth about €500,000, luxury watches, cash, cryptocurrencies and electronic equipment, according to Europol.

The authorities also took down 50 IP addresses and part of the online criminal infrastructure while 11 bank accounts totalling €1.1m were also frozen.